^ 

MAKINtJ    A    8TUMI*    HPKKCH. 


1>KATH    OF    OOLONKL    CROCKKTT. 


UNIVERSITY 

Of* 


LIFE 


OF 


DAVID  CROCKETT, 


THE  ORIGINAL  HUMORIST 


IRREPRESSIBLE  BACKWOODSMAN: 


COMPRISING 

HIS    EARLY  HISTORY;    HIS  BEAR-HUNTING  AND  OTHER    ADVEN- 

TURKS;  II IS  SERVICES  IN  THE  CREEK  WAR;  HIS  ELECTIONEER- 

ING  SPEECHES  AND  CAREER  IN  CONGRESS •    WITH   HIS 

TRIUMPHAL  TOUR  THROUGH  THE  NORTHERN 

STATES,  AND  SERVICES  IN  THE 

TEXAN  WAR. 

TO   WHICH  IS  ADDED 


A.N  ACCOUNT   OF   HIS  GLORIOUS   DEATH  AT  THE   ALAMO  WHILE   FIGHTING 
IN   DEFENCE   OF   TEXAN  INDEPENDENCE. 


WITH   ILLUSTRATIONS. 


PHILADELPHIA: 
PORTER    &    COATES, 

No.  822  CHESTNUT  STREET. 


Copyright,  1865,  by  JOHN  E.  POTTEK. 


PREFACE  BY  THE  EDI'lOR. 


COLONEL  DAVID  CROCKETT  was  one  of  the  most  remark- 
able  men  of  the  times  in  which  he  lived.  Born  in  humble 
life,  but  gifted  with  a  strong  will,  an  indomitable  courage,  and 
unremitting  perseverance,  as  well  as  an  aptitude  for  accumu 
lating  information  from  his  intercourse  with  men  of  superior 
education,  he  rose  to  posts  of  high  honor  and  distinction 
His  talent  for  original  humor  caused  his  sayings  to  be  admired 
and  quoted,  reported  in  newspapers,  and  received  with  ap 
plause  throughout  America  and  Europe. 

In  his  military  career,  which  was  confined  to  the  Creek 
war  of  1813-1814,  he  served  in  the  ranks  as  a  private  sol 
dier;  and  although  in  these  circumstances,  he  never  had  an 
extensive  separate  command,  he  was  frequently  sent  upon 
scouting  and  hunting  expeditions  in  which  he  acquitted  him 
self  with  credit.  His  entrance  into  public  life  was  unsought 
on  his  own  part,  and  was  entirely  the  result  of  that  ascendency 
which  an  able  and  independent  mind  asserts  aver  the  masses 
la  the  troubles  and  turmoils  of  politics.  The  stand  which  he 

look  In  Congress  against  tbose  measures,  which  he  disapproved, 

(3) 

- 


4  PREFACE   BY   THE   EDITOR. 

of  his  old  Commander,  General  Jackson,  when  President  of  the 
United  States,  was  recognized  throughout  the  country  as  the 
evidence  of  a  high  degree  of  political  integrity,  and  rendered 
him  extremely  popular  with  the  party  at  that  time  opposed 
to  the  administration  of  the  General  Government.  When 
this  popularity  was  at  its  height,  Colonel  Crockett  made  the 
tour  of  the  Middle  and  Northern  States;  and  was  everywhere 
received  with  the  greatest  enthusiasm. 

His  odd  maxims  and  original  remarks  had  for  a  long  time 
been  circulating  in  the  newspapers,  and  the  greatest  curiosity 
prevailed  to  hear  him  speak  on  political  affairs.  Under  these 
circumstances,  although  it  was  not  an  easy  matter  to  satisfy  the 
public,  his  speeches  gave  general  satisfaction,  and  he  returned 
to  his  constituents  crowned  with  fresh  honors. 

But  the  fiat  of  power  had  gone  forth  against  him ;  and  every 
nerve  was  strained  by  the  administration  to  defeat  his  re 
election.  As  usual  with  General  Jackson,  he  succeeded  in 
preventing  the  return  of  his  adversary  to  Congress ;  and  Col 
onel  Crockett  was  constrained  to  return  to  private  life. 

But  private  life  had  lost  its  charms  for  the  Colonel;  and  as 
the  struggle  for  the  independence  of  Texas  was  then  going 
forward;  although  the  cause  was  apparently  in  a  hopeless 
state,  and  the  whole  band  of  patriots  but  a  handful  of  men, 
Colonel  Crockett  with  his  usual  ardor  and  determination 
*hrew  himself  into  the  contest,  and  perished  gloriously  at  the 
siege  of  the  Alamo.  Had  he  survived  that  siege,  and  par- 
ticipated  in  the  subsequent  glories  of  San  Jacinto,  it  is  not 
easy  to  imagine  to  what  honors  he  might  not  have  been  advanced 


PREFACE    BY   THE   EDITOR.  6 

by  his  compatriots  after  the  independence  of  Texas  wag  se 
cured,  and  her  admission  as  one  of  the  states  of  the  Union 
had  been  accomplished. 

The  life  of  Colonel  Crockett  was  written  by  himself,  is  en 
tirely  without  literary  pretensions  j  but  it  is  full  if  interest  as 
well  as  instruction.     It  shows  how  much  may  be  accomplished     ,^J 
by  a  right  aim;  a 'strong  will,  and  an  indomitable  spirit  of 
perseverance. 


AUTHOR'S  PREFACE 


FASHION  is  a  thing  I  care  mighty  little  about,  except  when 
it  happens  to  run  just  exactly  according  to  my  own  notion } 
and  I  was  mighty  nigh  sending  out  my  book  without  any  pre 
face  at  all,  until  a  notion  struck  me,  that  perhaps  it  was  ne 
cessary  to  explain  a  little  the  reason  why  and  wherefore  I  had 
written  it. 

Most  of  authors  seek  fame,  but  I  seek  for  justice, — a  holier 
impulse  than  ever  entered  into  the  ambitious  struggles  of  the 
votaries  of  that  jickle,  flirting  goddess. 

A  publication  has  been  made  to  the  world,  which  has  done 
me  much  injustice;  and  the  catchpenny  errors  which  it  con 
tains,  have  been  already  too  long  sanctioned  by  my  silence.  I 
don't  know  the  author  of  the  book— and  indeed  I  don't  want 
to  know  him  :  for  after  he  has  taken  such  a  liberty  with  my 
name,  and  made  such  an  effort  to  hold  me  up  to  public  ridi 
cule,  he  cannot  calculate  on  anything  but  my  displeasure.  If 
he  had  been  content  to  have  written  his  opinions  about  me, 
however  contemptuous  they  might  have  been,  I  should  have 
less  reason  to  complain.  But  when  he  professes  to  give  my 
narrative  (as  he  often  does)  in  my  own  language,  and  then 
puts  into  ray  mouth  such  language  as  would  disgrace  even  an 
outlandish  African,  he  must  himself  be  sensible  of  the  injus 
tice  he  has  done  me,  and  the  trick  he  has  played  off  on  the 
public.  I  have  met  with  hundreds,  if  not  with  trousaud?  of 

(7) 


8  AUTHOR'S  PREFACE. 

people,  who  have  formed  their  opinions  of  ray  appearance,  hao 
its,  language,  and  everything  else  from  that  deceptive  work. 
v  They  have  almost  in  every  instance  expressed  the  most 

/\  profound  astonishment  at  finding  me  in  human  shape,  and  with 
the  countenance ,  appearance,  and  common  feelings  of  a  human 
being.  It  is  to  correct  all  these  false  notions,  and  to  do  jus 
lice  to  myself,  that  I  have  written. 

It  is  certain  that  the  writer  of  the  book  alluded  to  has  gath 
ered  up  many  imperfect  scraps  of  information  concerning  me, 
AS  in  parts  of  his  work  there  is  some  little  semblance  of  truth. 
But  I  ask  him,  if  this  notice  should  ever  reach  his  eye,  how 
would  he  have  liked  it,  if  I  had  treated  Mm  so? — if  I  had 
put  together  such  a  bundle  of  ridiculous  stuff,  and  headed  it 
with  his  name,  and  sent  it  out  upon  the  world  without  ever 
even  condescending  to  ask  his  permission  ?  To  these  ques 
tions,  all  upright  men  must  give  the  same  answer.  It  was 
wrong;  and  the  tlesire  to  make  money  by  it,  is  no  apology  for 
such  injustice  to  a  fellow  man. 

But  I  let  him  pass ;  as  my  wish  is  greatly  more  to  vindicate 
myself,  than  to  condemn  him. 

In  the  following  pages  I  have  endeavored  to  give  the  reader 
a  plain,  honest,  homespun  account  of  my  state  in  life,  and  some 
few  of  the  difficulties  which  have  attended  me  along  its  journey, 
down  to  this  time.  I  am  perfectly  aware,  that  I  have  related 
many  small  and,  as  I  fear,  uninteresting  circumstances  ;  but 
if  so,  my  apology  is,  that  it  was  rendered  necessary  by  a  desire 
to  link  the  different  periods  of  my  life  together,  as  they  have 
passed,  from  my  childhood  onward,  and  thereby  toxenable  the 
reader  to  select  such  parts  of  it  as  he  may  relish  most,  if,  in 
deed,  there  is  anything  in  it  which  may  suit  his  palate. 

I  have  also  been  operated  on  by  another  consideration.  It 
Is  this: — I  know,  that  obscure  as  I  am,  my  name  is  making  a 
considerable  deal  of  fuss  in  the  world.  I  can't  tell  why  it  is, 


AUTHOR'S  PREFACE.  9 

n«fw  in  what  it  is  to  end.  Go  where  I  will,  everybody  seems 
an.k  tons  to  get  a  peep  at  me ;  and  it  would  be  hard  to  tell 
wh»,ch  would  have  the  advantage,  i(J!,_aji4  the  "i€rb"vern  merit," 
anu<£  Black  Hawk,"  and  a  great  eternal  big  caravarHyf  wild 
varmints  were  all  to  be  showed  at  the  same  time  in  four  dif 
ferent  parts  of  any  of  the  big  cities  in  the  nation.  I  am  not 
so  sure  that  I  shouldn't  get  the  most  custom  of  any  of  the 
cirw.  Thjerfi— must  -therefore-  be  something  in  me,  or  about 
Kurt,  that  attracts  attention,  which  is  even  mysterious  to  my- 
i»rj(f.  I  can't  understand  it,  and  I  therefore  put  all  the  facts 
a-own,  leaving  the  reader  free  to  take  his  choice  of  them. 

On  the  subject  of  ray  style,"  it  is  bad  enough,  in  all  con 
science,  to  please  critics,  if  that  is  what  they  are  after.  They 
are  a  sort  of  vermin,  though,  that  I  sha'n't  even  so  much  as 
stop  to  brush  off.  If  they  want  to  work  on  my  book,  just  let 
them  go  ahead  ;  and  after  they  are  done,  they  had  better  blot 
out  all  their  criticisms,  than  to  know  what  opinion  I  would 
express  of  them,  and  by  what  sort  of  a  curious  name  I  would 
call  them,  if  I  was  standing  near  them,  and  looking  over  their 
shoulders.  They  will,  at  most,  have  only  their  trouble  for 
their  pay.  But  I  rather  expect  I  shall  have  them  on  my  side. 

But  I  don't  know  of  anything  in  my  book  to  be  criticised 
on  by  honorable  men.  Is  it  on  my  spelling? — that's  not  my 
trj.de.  Is  it  on  my  grammar? — I  hadn't  time  to  learn  it,  and 
make  no  pretensions  to  it.  Is  it  on  the  order  and  arranne^ 
ment  of  my  book  ? — I  never  wrote  one  before,  and  never  read 
very  many;  and,  of  course,  know  mighty  little  about  that. 
Will  it  be  on  the  authorship  of  the  book? — this  I  claim,  and 
I'll  hang  on  to  it  like  a  wax  plaster.  The  whole  book  is  my 
own,  and  every  sentiment  and  sentence  in  it.  I  would  not 
be  such  a  fool,  or  knave  either,  as  to  deny  that  I  have  had 
it  run  hastily  over  by  a  friend  or  so,  and  that  some  little  al 
terations  have  been  made  in  the  spelling  and  grammar;  and  I 


10  AUTHOR'S  PREFACE. 

am  not  so  sure  that  it  is  not  the  worse  of  even  that,  for  I  de« 
spise  this  way  of  spelling  contrary  to  nature.  And  as  for 
grammar,  it's  pretty  much  a  thing  of  nothing  at  last,  after  all 
the  fuss  that's  made  about  it.  In  some  places,  I  wouldn't 
suffer  either  the  spelling^  or  grammar,  or  anything  else  to  be 
touched ;  and  therefore  it  will  be  found  in  my  own  way. 

But  if  anybody  complains  that  I  have  had  it  looked  over,  1 
can  only  say  to  him,  her,  or  them — as  the  case  may  be — that 
while  critics  were  learning  grammar,  and  learning  to  spell,  1 
and  "Doctor  Jackson,  LL.D."  were  fighting  in  the  wars; 
and  if  our  books,  and  messages,  and  proclamations,  and  cabi 
net  writings,  and  so  forth,  and  so  on,  should  need  a  little 
looking  over,  and  a  little  correcting  of  the  spelling  and  the 
grammar  to  make  them  fit  for  use,  its  just  nobody's  business. 
Big  men  have  more  important  matters  to  attend  to  than  cross 
ing  their  £'s — ,  and  dotting  their  z's — ,  and  such  like  small 
things.  But  the  ''Government's"  name  i?  to  the  proclama 
tion,  and  my  name's  to  the  book ;  and  if  I  didn't  write  the 
book,  the  "  Government"  didn't  write  the  proclamation,  which 
no  man  dares  to  deny  ! 

But  just  read  for  yourself,  and  my  ears  for  a  heel  tap,  if 
before  you  get  through  you  don't  say,  with  many  a  good-na 
tured  smile  and  hearty  laugh,  "  This  is  truly  the  very  thing 
itself — the  exact  image  of  its  Author, 

DAVID  CROCKED  T.M 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  I. 

MM 

Crockett's  descent — His  father  a  soldier  in  the  Revolutionary  Wat  - 
Fought  at  the  battle  of  King's  Mountain — Settles  in  Tennesse*  — 
Crockett's  grandparents  murdered  by  the  Indians  —  One  unde 
wounded  and  another  captured  by  the  Indians — Birth  of  David 
Crockett — Early  recollections — Narrow  escape  of  his  brothers  from 
drowning — Shooting  a  man  instead  of  a  deer — His  father's  lemovals- 
— Keeps  a  tavern — Davy  hired  to  a  Dutchman — Escapes  from  him 
in  a  snow  storm — Mr.  Dunn's  kindness — David  returns  home 19 

CHAPTER  II. 

David  goes  to  school — Flogs  a  schoolmate  and  plays  truant — Gets  found 
out — Runs  away — Hires  himself  to  Jesse  Cheek — Leaves  him — Goes 
with  Myers — Afraid  to  go  home — Works  for  John  Gray — Goes  to 
Baltimore — Agrees  to  go  to  sea — Made  prisoner — Shapes — Be 
friended  by  a  wagoner — His  kindness — David  "  hires  out"  to  Caldwell 
— Woiks  for  Griffith,  the  hatter— His  master  breaks— He  starts  for 
home — Perilous  adventure  in  a  canoe — Meets  his  brother — Reaches 
home— His  reception........*..... .....  31 

CHAPTER   III. 

David  at  home— Works  out  a  debt  for  his  father— Hires  out  with  ati  old 
Quaker — Gets  paid  in  a  note  of  his  father's — David  falls  in  love  with 
»  Quakeress — Disappointed — Goes  to  school — Falls  in  love  again — 

Goes  to  a  shooting  match — Gets  jilted — Sick  at  heart ~     41 

(ID 


12  CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER    IV. 

Crockett  goes  a  hunting— The  Dutch  widow— Ugly  daughter— Crockett 
goes  to  a  reaping— The  old  Irish  woman — Crockett  dances  with  her 
daughter — Makes  love  to  her — A  rival — Crockett  loft  in  the  woods — 
Meets  his  lady  love — Opposition  of  her  mother  to  the  marriage — 
Crockett  married — Mother-in-law  reconciled— Two  sons  born — Re 
moval  to  Lincoln  county — Removal  to  Franklin  county 61 

CHAPTER    V. 

The  Creek  war — Massacre  at  Fort  Minims — Crockett  volunteers — Joins 
Captain  Jones'  company  of  mounted  volunteers — Beaty's  Spring — 
Major  Gibson — Crockett  goes  out  as  a  scout  with  George  Russell — 

.  Scouting  adventures — Crockett  returns,  and  reports  to  General  Cof 
fee — Express  sent  to  General  Jackson — His  arrival  in  camp 61 

CHAPTER    VI. 

Crockett  sent  off  with  a  detachment — Burning  of  Black  Warrior's  town 
— Crockett  goes  a  hunting  to  supply  provision  for  the  detachment — 
His  success — Rejoins  the  main  army — Battle  with  the  Indians — Re 
turn  to  Fort  Strother — Famine  in  the  camp — Expedition  to  Fort  Ta- 
ladega — Battle  of  Taladega — Famine — Mutiny — Crockett  goes  home 
with  the  other  volunteers — Rejoins  the  army — Skirmish  near  Horse 
Shoe  Bend — Another  Battle — Courage  and  skill  of  General  Carroll ...  71 

CHAPTER    VII. 

'""rockett  joins  the  army  for  the  Florida"  campaign — Passes  near  Fort 
Mimms — Arrival  at  Pensacola — General  Jackson  leaves  for  New  Or- 
*eans — Crockett  returns  with  his  regiment  to  Fort  Mimms — De- 
fcription  of  the  fort  and  the  massacre — March  towards  Pensacola 
—Preparations  for  a  battle — Creeks  killed — Expedition  of  Major 
Russell — Return  to  Pensacola g{ 

CHAPTER    VIII. 

Start  for  Chatahachy — Famine  in  the  camp— Burning  of  town  on  the 
Chatahachy — Famine  again — Crockett  goes  a  hunting — His  euccesg 
— Arrival  at  Fort  Decatur — Crockett  buys  corn  with  bullets — March 
to  Fort  Williams— Pass  the  battle-ground  of  Taladega— Pass  the 
Coorfa  river — Crockett  starts  for  home — Returns  home— Joy  of  big 
family — Crockett's  sentiments  on  the  warrior  career — Close  of  the 
v»ar •.« 


CONTENTS.  13 

CHAPTER    IX. 

PAfl» 

Death  of  Mrs.  Crockett — His  family — Crockett  courts  a  soldier's  widow 
— Marries  again — New  family — Emigrates — Perilous  journey — Sick 
ness — Returns  home — Second  sickness — Crockett  settles  on  Shoal 
Creek — Regulators — Crockett  a  magistrate — Amusing  account  of  his 
proceedings — Learning  how  to  make  out  written  warrants,  and  keep 
a  docket — His  success  as  a  magistrate 104 

CHAPTER     X. 

Captain  Matthew's  intrigue — Crockett  a  candidate  for  military  office — 
Matthew's  artful  dodge — Detected  by  Crockett,  who  defeats  him,  and 
is  elected  colonel — Crockett  a  candidate  for  the  Legislature — On  the 
stump — Electioneering — Hunting  party — Speech-making  tough  work 
— Tells  anecdotes— Gains  his  election— Colonel  Polk  -  The  judiciary 
-Loss  of  property — Failure — Gives  up  all  *Q  his  creditors 112 

CHAPTER    XI. 

Colonel  Crockett  emigrates  again — Difficult  journey — Visit  to  Mr. 
Owens — Boating — Hunting — Planting — The  Fall's  hunt — Perilous 
winter  journey  to  get  a  cask  of  powder — Success 119 

CHAPTER    XII. 

All  hands  turn  out  for  a  hunt — Coronel  Crockett  goes  after  bear — Kills 
two  wild  turkeys— Encounters  a  very  big  bear — Three  shots  firtd — 
Bear  killed — Weighs  600  pounds — Difficulty  in  getting  him  home — 
Colonel  Crockett  supplies  his  family  with  provisions  by  hunting 131 

CHAPTER    XIII. 

Colonel  Crockett  sells  his  peltry — Meets  influential  politicians  at  Jack. 
son — :Is  invited  to  become  a  candidate  for  the  Legislature — Declines 
— Is  advertised  for  the  office  without  his  consent — Determines  to  run 
—Meets  his  opponent — His  amusing  and  characteristic  description  of 
his  manner  of  electioneering — Two  other  candidates  proposed — Col 
onel  Crockett  is  elected — Votes  against  General  Jackson  for  Senator 
— Colonel  Crockett  proposed  as  a  candidate  for  Congress — He  is  de 
feated — Proposed  again  for  the  next  Congress IS* 


14  CONTEXTS. 

CHAPTER  XIV. 

•Mi 

Colonel  Crockett  engages  in  a  lumber  speculation — Boat  Building- 
Bear  hunting — The  grubber — More  bear  hunting — Bear  attacked  in 
a  cane  brake — Bear  attacked  in  a  hollow  tree — Three  bears  killed— 
Cutting  up  the  bears  and  salting  them 141 

CHAPTER  XV. 

More  bear  hunting — Shooting  a  bear — Crockett  benighted  in  the  woods 
— Night  encounter  with  a  bear — Crockett  nearly  frozen  to  death — 
Dreadful  earthquake — Ten  bears  killed  during  this  hunt „  166 

CHAPTER  XVI. 

Colonel  Crockett  attends  to  his  lumber  speculations — Goes  down  the 
Mississippi  with  his  lumber — Difficult  navigation — Boats  swamped — 
Narrow  escape  of  the  Colonel  from  drowning — Result  of  the  specu 
lation  a  total  loss 158 

CHAPTER    XVII. 

Colonel  Crockett  enters  on  a  new  canvass  for  Congress — A  friend  sup 
plies  "  the  sinews  of  war" — Electioneering — A  stump  speech — Inci 
dent  of  the  guinea-fowls  turned  to  a  good  account — Crockett  elected 
— Serves  in  Congress  during  Adams'  administration — Re-elected  to 
Congress — Votes  against  the  Indian  bill — Political  persecution — 
Crockett  proposed  for  Congress  again — Defeated — Crockett's  district 
Gerrymandered  to  keep  him  out  of  Congress — lie  is  elected 163 

CHAPTER   XVIII. 

Colonel  Crockett  commences  his  tour  to  the  Northern  Stales— Enter 
tained  at  Barn  urn's  Hotel  in  Baltimore — Passage  to  Philadelphia — 
Crockett's  toast — Grand  reception  at  Philadelphia — Arrival  at  United 
States  Hotel — Crockett's  speech — Walk  round  the  Quaker  City  at 
night — Visited  by  distinguished  citizens — Visit  to  the  Water  Works, 
the  Mint,  and  the  Asylum  for  the  Insane — Crockett's  speech  at  the 
Exchange — Great  applause — Goes  to  the  Walnut  Street  Theatre — 
Crockett  presented  with  a  watch-seal  and  rifle— Visits  the  Navy 
Yard — Takes  a  ride  with  Colonel  lleeside — Takes  a  supper  with  Mr. 
Dorrance,  and  makes  a  call  on  Colonel  Saint , ..171 


CONTENTS.  15 

CHAPTER    XIX. 

UM 

Colonel  Crockett  starts  for  New  York — The  passage — Grand  Reception 
— Committee  of  young  whigs  invite  him  to  go  to  the  American  Hotel 
— Goes  to  the  Park  Theatre — Sees  Fanny  Kemble — His  opinion  of 
that  actress — The  Colonel  goes  to  a  fire — Makes  a  Speech  at  the  Ex 
change — Goes  to  Peale's  'Museum  and  the  City  Hall — Dines  with  Col. 
Draper — Invited  to  a  supper  by  the  young  whigs — Has  a  ride  with 
Col.  Jackson — Visits  the  Five  Points — His  opinion  of  the  strange 
sights  there — Introduced  to  Albert  Gallatin — Preparations  for  build- 
Ing  the  Astor  House — Celebration  at  the  Battery — General  Morton — 
Gideon  Lee — Castle  Garden — Goes  to  the  Bowery  Theatre — Colonel 
Mapes — Grant  Thorburn — Rifle  shooting — The  Colonel  gives  a  spe 
cimen 183 

CHAPTER   XX. 

The  Colonel  starts  for  Boston — Passes  Hell  Gate  and  Point  Juda — First 
impressions  of  New  England  scenery — Captain  Silsbee — Arrives  at 
Treraont  House — Mr.  Boyden — Visit  to  the  gallery  of  the  artist, 
Chester  Harding — Sits  for  his  portrait — Faneuil  Hall — Gen.  Davis — 
Quincy  Market — India-rubber  factory — Colonel  Perkins — Carpet 
faclory — Sups  with  the  young  whigs — Bunker  HiU — Whig  dinner — 
Chantrey's  statue  of  Washington — Asylum  for  the  blind 195 

CHAPTER    XXI. 

Colonel  Crockett  is  invited  io  visit  Harvard  University — Is  afraid  they 
will  make  him  a  Doctor  of  Laws,  and  declines  go:»>g  there — Visits 
the  Tremont  Theatre — Visit  to  Lowell — The  Oolonel  \s  delighted  with 
the  factories  and  the  factory  girls — His  remarKS  on  fvee  labor— The 
sea-serpent — The  tariff — The  South — Mr.  Lawrence  presents  the  Colo 
nel  with  a  suit  of  broadcloth  of  Lowell  manufacture,  from  Mississippi 
wool — The  Colonel  dines  with  the  young  gentlemen  of  Lowell — New 
England  hospitality — The  Colonel  returns  to  Boston — Spends  an  eve 
ning  with  Lieutenant-Governor  Armstrong — Returns  to  Prcv-donco. 
New  York,  and  Philadelphia — Visit  to  Camden,  New  Jir?f}y — Losoa 
kis  po^kek-book  and  money — Returns  to  Baltimore  and  Washington..  SOi 

CHAPTER    XXII. 

Breaking  ip  of  Congress — Crockett  at  Philadelphia — Presentation  of 
the  rifle — i'he  Colonel's  speech — Visit  to  the  Fish  House — Celebration 
ef  the  Fourth  3f  July — The  Colonel's  speech  at  Chesnut  Street  Th«- 


16  CONTENTS. 

mi 

Rtre — Present  of  gunpowder  from  Mr.  Dupont — Crockett  at  Pjttsburg 
— His  advice  to  Tennessee — Conversation  with  Captain  Stone — Pas 
sage  to  Cincinnati  and  Louisville — Speech  at  Louisville — Return 
home — Shooting  for  beef 22J 

CHAPTER  XXIII. 

Electioneering — Stump  speech — Price  of  popularity — Treating — The 
coon-skin  trick — The  Yankee  merchant  outwitted — Offer  of  compen 
sation  on  the  part  of  the  Colonel  refused — Adam  Huntsman,  the 
Colonel's  opponent 239 

CHAPTER   XXIV. 

The  Colonel  loses  his  election — How  it  happened — Political  persecution 
and  corruption — The  Colonel's  opinions  and  sentiments  on  political 
affairs — Where  the  public  money  goes — Anecdote — The  Colonel's 
parting  blessing  to  his  constituent — He  resolves  to  go  to  Texas,  and 
engage  in  the  war  for  its  independence — Specimen  of  the  Colonel's 
F<>etry 246 

CHAPTER   XXV. 

The  Colonel  starts  for  Texas — Amusing  incident  of  the  man  fighting 
with  his  own  shadow — Crockett  arrives  at  Little  Rock — The  puppet 
showman — Disappointment — Threats  of  lynch  law — The  bookseller 
who  becomes  fiddler  to  the  puppet  show — Moral  of  a  puppet  show....  256 

CHAPTER    XXVI. 

Crockett  offered  a  public  dinner  by  the  citizens  of  Little  Rock— Thinks 
be  will  decline — The  landlord  shows  him  his  larder — The  Colonel  ac 
cepts — Rifle  shooting — Cute  trick — The  dinner — The  Colonel's  speech 
—He  tells  the  Little  Rock  politicians  how  to  get  office — A  jolly 
evoaing 268 

CHAPTER   XXVII. 

Western  hospitality — The  Colonel  takes  leave  of  his  Little  Rock  friends 
— Escorted  on  his  way  towards  Texas — Tries  for  recruits  for  the 
Texan  war,  without  success — Whimsical  adventure  of  the  fiddling 
bookseller — Great  utility  of  fiddling — Account  of  Arkansas — Elo 
quence  of  the  parson — The  parting — Specimen  of  impertinent  curi 
osity  baffled  -Job  SuolHng — Arrival  at  Fulton 27* 


CONTENTS.  17 

CHAPTER  XXVIII. 

PAOl 

Departure  from  Fulton — Game  of  tlnmblerig  on  the  steamboat—  Sleight 
Of  hand — The  Colonel  makes  Thimblerig  treat  the  company — The 
Colonel's  toast — His  speech — His  opinion  tf  Van  Buren— Great 
applause , 291 

CHAPTER    XXIX. 

fhanblerig  relates  the  events  of  his  life  to  the  Colonel — Thimblerig 
courts  a  planter's  daughter — Gets  a  very  broad  hint  to  leave — Becomes 
a  play-actor — Refuses  to  perform  the  hind  legs  of  the  elephant,  le- 
cause  it  is  not  a  speaking  part — Gets  discharged — Becomes  marker 
in  a  gambling  house  at  New  Orleans — Quits— Becomes  a  professional 
blackleg — Goes  to  Natchez  under  the  hill — His  description  of  that 
place — A  murder — Punishment  of  the  murderer — Punishment  of  a 
gambler  for  cheating— Arrival  of  the  Colonel  at  Natchitoches 301 

CHAPTER  XXX. 

Account  of  Natchitoches — The  Colonel  advises  Thimblerig  to  reform 
and  join  the  Texan  patriots — Thimblerig  decides  to  do  so — Curious 
incident  of  the  yellow  boy— The  singer  and  the  politician — A  brisk 
conversation — The  singer  thrashes  the  politician — The  Bee  Hunter- 
He  joins  the  patriots — The  Colonel,  Thimblerig,  and  the  Bee  Hunter 
set  out  for  Nacogdoches  on  their  way  to  Texas 314 

CHAPTER  XXXI. 

Route  to  Nacogdoches — Accomplishments  of  the  Bee  Hunter — Story 
of  Andrew  Tumlinson — His  de'ath — Society  in  Texas — Arrival  At 
Nacogdoches — Account  of  that  place — Scene  between  the  Bee  Hunter 
and  his  lady-love — Departure  from  Nacogdoches «....,  827 

CHAPTER    XXXII. 

fnoidents  on  the  road — Tricks  upon  travelers — The  mad  dog  hoa*  ~ 
Another  curious  trick— Cane  brake — Wolves  and  game — The  party 
joined  by  one  of  Lafitte's  pirates  and  an  Indian  hunter — Scene  at  the 
dinner  table — Sudden  disappearance  of  the  Bee  Hunter — The  party 
encounter  an  immense  herd  of  buffaloes — The  Colonel  gives  chase — • 
Gets  lost — Falls  in  with  a  herd  of  mustangs — A  race  with  the  mus 
tangs-Reaches  the  Navasola  river,  where  the  mustangs  leave  Liin...  33S 
2 


18  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER  XXXIII.  ^ 

The  Colonel's  mustang  apparently  very  ill — The  C  jlonel  has  a  hard 
fight  with  a  cougar,  and  kills  him — Pastes  the  night  in  a  tree — Loses 
his  mustang — Breakfasts  on  roast  goose — Falls  in  with  a  party  of 
Cu  ranches — Ride  with  them — Singular  recovery  of  his  mustang — A 
prairie  on  fire — Politeness  of  the  Cumanches — Meeting  with  Thim- 
blerig — Re-union  of  the  whole  party — Meeting  with  a  band  of  Mexi 
can  s— A  fight— The  Mexicans  beaten. and  put  to  flight— Arrival  at 
the  Alamo «  354 

CHAPTER    XXXIV. 

Description  of  the  Alamo  fortress  and  Bexar — Capture  of  the  Alamo  by 
the  Texan  army — Account  of  Colonel  Bowie — His  stratagem  for  de 
ceiving  the  Cumanches — News  of  the  approach  of  Santa  Anna — 
History  of  Texas — Account  of  Santa  Anna — His  ambition — Anec 
dote — Siege  of  a  convent 368 

CHAPTER   XXXV. 

Tbimblerig  on  a  spree — The  mule  train — News  of  Santa  Anna — The 
ragged  hunter — Unsuccessful  attack  on  Tampico — Fate  of  the  assail 
ants — Approach  of  the  Mexicans  under  Santa  Anna — Siege  of  the 
Alamo  commenced — Raising  the  Texan  flag — Colonel  Travis  sends 
to  Colonel  Fanning  for  reinforcements — Reinforcements  arrive — 
Thimblerig  wounded — His  revenge  on  the  Mexicans — Colonel  Bowie 
— The  Bee  Hunter  cannonading — Provisions  brought  in — General 
Sesina's  movements — Sharpshooting — Declaration  of  Independence 
— A  sortie  from  the  Alamo — End  of  Colonel  Crockett's  MS 378 

CHAPTER   XXXVI. 

Assault  on  the  Alamo  directed  by  Santa  Anna — Desperate  fighting— 
Six  Americans  survive — Crockett  one  of  the  number — Death  of  Tbim 
blerig — Castrillon  takes  the  prisoners  to  Santa  Anna,  who  directs  the 
massacre  of  the  whole — Death  of  Col.  Crockett — Of  Col.  Bowie — Of 
Col.  Travis — Loss  of  the  Mexicans  at  the  Alamo — Battle  of  Goliad — 
Surrender  of  Col.  Fanning — Massacre  of  the  American  prisoners — 
Ravages  of  the  Mexicans  on  their  inarch  to  San  Jacinto— General 
Houston — Battle  of  San  Jacinto — Total  defeat  of  the  Mexicans  and 
capture  of  Santa  Anna— Death  tf  Col.  Fanning 395 


(  VWIYIKSITY  ) 

or 

ILI 


LIFE    OF 

COLONEL  DAVID  CROCKETT 


CHAPTER   I. 

'^rorkett's  descent— His  father  a  soldier  in  the  Revolutionary  Wak  — 
Fought  at  the  battle  of  Kind's  Mountain — Settles  in  Tennessee — 
Crockett's  grandparents  murdered  by  the  Indians — One  uncle 
wounded  and  another  captured  by  the  Indians — Birth  of  David 
Crockett — Early  recollections — Narrow  escape  of  his  brothers  from 
drowning — Shooting  a  man  instead  of  a  deer — His  father's  remo 
vals — Keeps  a  tavern— David  hired  to  a  Dutchman — Escapes  from 
bim  in  a  snow  storm — Mr.  Dunn's  kindness — David  returns  home. 

As  the  public  seem  to  feel  some  interest  in  the  his 
tory  of  an  individual  so  humble  as  I  am,  and  as  that 
history  can  be  so  well  known  to  no  person  living  as  to 
myself,  I  have,  after  so  long  a  time,  a  ad  under  many 
pressing  solicitations  from  my  friends  and  acquaintances, 
at  last  determined  to  put  my  own  hand  to  it,  and  lay 
before  the  world  a  narrative  on  which  they  may  at  least 
rely  as  being  true.  And  seeking  no  ornament  or  color 
ing  for  a  plain,  simple  tale  of  truth,  ]  i/lu  iw  aside  all 

(19) 


20  CROCKETT'S  FAMILY. 

hypocritical  and  fawning  apologies,  and  according  to 
my  own  maxim,  just  "go  ahead."  Where  I  am  not 
known,  I  might,  perhaps,  gain  some  little  credit  by 
having  thrown  around  this  volume  some  of  the  flowers 
of  learning ;  but  where  I  am  known,  the  vile  cheater  j 
would  soon  be  detected,  and  like  the  foolish  jackdaw, 
that  with  borrowed  tail  attempted  to  play  the  peacock, 
I  should  be  justly  robbed  of  my  pilfered  ornaments,  and 
sent  forth  to  strut  without  a  tail  for  the  balance  of  my 
time.  I  shall  commence  my  book  with  what  little  I 
have  learned  of  the  history  of  my  father,  as  all  great 
men  rest  many,  if  not  most,  of  their  hopes  on  their 
noble  ancestry.  Mine  was  poor,  but  I  hope  honest,  and 
even  that  is  as  much  as  many  a  man  can  say.  But  to 
my  subject. 

My  father's  name  was  John  Crockett,  and  he  was  of 
Irish  descent.  He  was  either  born  in  Ireland  or  on  a 
passage  from  that  country  to  America  across  the  At 
lantic.  He  was  by  profession  a  farmer,  and  spent  the 
early  part  of  his  life  in  the  State  of  Pennsylvania.  The 
name  of  my  mother  was  Rebecca  Hawkins.  She  was 
an  American  woman,  born  in  the  State  of  Maryland, 
between  York  and  Baltimore.  It  is  likely  I  may  have 
heard  where  they  were  married,  but  if  so,  I  have  for 
gotten.  It  is,  however,  certain  that  they  were,  or  else 
the  public  would  never  have  been  troubled  with  the  his 
tory  of  David  Crockett,  their  son. 

I  have  an  imperfect  recollection  of  the  part  which  I 
have  understood  my  father  took  in  the  revolutionary 
war.  I  personally  know  nothing  about  it,  fu  it  hap 
pened  to  be  a  little  before  my  day ;  but  from  Limself, 


CROCKETT'S  FAMILY.  21 

and  mary  others  who  were  well  acquainted  with  ita 
troubles  and  afflictions,  I  have  learned  that  he  was  a 
soldier  in  the  revolutionary  war,  and  took  part  in  that 
bloody  struggle.  He  fought,  according  to  my  informa 
tion,  in  the  battle  of  King's  Mountain,  against  the 
British  and  tories,  and  in  some  other  engagements,  of 
which  my  remembrance  is  too  imperfect  to  enable  me  to 
speak  with  any  certainty.  At  some  time,  though  I 
cannot  say  certainly  when,  my  father,  as  I  have  under 
stood,  lived  in  Lincoln  county,  in  the  State  of  North 
Carolina.  How  long  I  don't  know.  But  when  he  re 
moved  from  there,  he  settled  in  that  district  of  country 
which  is  now  embraced  in  the  east  division  of  Tennessee, 
though  it  was  not  then  erected  into  a  State. 

He  settled  there  under  dangerous  circumstances,  both 
to  himself  and  his  family,  as  the  country  was  full  of 
Indians,  who  were  at  that  time  very  troublesome.  By 
the  Creeks,  my  grandfather  and  grandmother  Crockett 
were  both  murdered  in  their  own  house,  and  on  the  very 
spot  of  ground  where  Rogersville,  in  Hawkins  county, 
now  stands.  At  the  same  time,  the  Indians  wounded 
Joseph  Crockett,  a  brother  to  my  father,  by  a  ball, 
which  broke  his  arm ;  and  took  James  a  prisoner,  who 
was  still  a  younger  brother  than  Joseph,  and  who,  from 
natural  defects,  was  less  able  to  make  his  escape,  as  lit 
\>as  both  deaf  and  dumb.  He  remained  with  them  for 
seventeen  years  and  nine  months,  when  he  was  disco 
vered  and  recollected  bj  my  father  and  his  eldest 
brother,  William  Crockett ;  and  was  purchased  by  them 
from  an  Indian  trader,  at  a  price  which  I  do  not  now 
remember  ;  but  so  it  was,  that  he  was  delivered  up  to 


%-2  CROCKETT'S  FAMILY. 

them,  and  they  returned  him  to  his  relatives.  He  now 
lives  in  Cumberland  county,  in  the  State  of  Kentucky, 
though  I  have  not  seen  him  for  many  years. 

My  father  and  mother  had  six  sons  and  three  daugh 
tcrs.  I  was  the  fifth  son.  What  a  pity  I  hadn't  been 
the  seventh !  For  then  I  might  have  been,  by  common 
consent,  called  doctor,  as  a  heap  of  people  get  to  be 
great  men.  But,  like  many  of  them,  I  stood  no  chance 
to  become  great  in  any  other  way  than  by  accident. 
As  my  father  was  very  poor,  and  living  as  he  did,  far 
back  in  the  back  woods,  he  had  neither  the  means  nor 
the  opportunity  to  give  me,  or  any  of  the  rest  of  his 
children,  any  learning. 

But  before  I  get  on  the  subject  of  my  own  troubles, 
and  a  great  many  very  funny  things  that  have  happened 
to  me,  like  all  other  historians  and  biographers,  I 
should  inform  the  public  that  I  was  born,  myself,  as 
well  as  other  folks,  and  that  this  important  event  took 
place,  according  to  the  best  information  I  have  received 
on  the  subject,  on  the  17th  of  August,  in  the  year  1786; 
whether  by  day  or  night,  I  believe  I  never  heard,  but 
if  I  did,  I  have  forgotten.  I  suppose,  however,  it  is  not 
very  material  to  my  present  purpose,  nor  to  the  world, 
as  the  more  important  fact  is  well  attested,  that  I  was 
born  ;  and,  indeed,  it  might  be  inferred,  from  my  pre 
sent  size  and  appearance,  that  I  was  pretty  well  born, 
though  I  have  never  yet  attached  myself  to  that  nu 
merous  and  worthy  society. 

At  the  time  my  father  lived  at  the  mouth  of  Lime 
Stone,  on  the  Nolachucky  river ;  and  for  the  purpose 
not  only  of  showing  what  sort  of  a  man  I  now  am,  but 


EARLY   RECOLLECTIONS.  23 

also  to  show  how  soon  I  began  to  be  a  sort  of  a  little 
man,  I  have  endeavored  to  take  the  back  track  of  life, 
in  order  to  fix  on  the  first  thing  that  I  can  remember. 
But  even  then,  as  now,  so  many  things  were  happening, 
that,  as  Major  Jack  Downing  would  say,  they  are  all  in 
"  a  pretty  considerable  of  a  snarl,"  and  I  find  it  "  kinder 
hard"  to  fix  on  that  thing,  among  them  all,  which  really 
happened  first.  But  I  think  it  likely  I  have  hit  on  the 
outside  line  of  my  recollection ;  as  one  thing  happened 
at  which  I  was  so  badly  scared,  that  it  seems  to  me  I 
could  not  have  forgotten  it,  if  it  had  happened  a  little 
time  only  after  I  was  born.  Therefore  it  furnishes  me 
with  no  certain  evidence  of  my  age  at  the  time ;  but  I 
know  one  thing  very  well,  and  that  is,  that  when  it  hap 
pened  I  had  no  knowledge  of  the  use  of  breeches,  for  I 
had  never  had  any  nor  worn  any. 

But  the  circumstance  was  this  :  My  four  elder  bro 
thers,  and  a  well-grown  boy  of  about  fifteen  years  old, 
by  the  name  of  Campbell,  and  myself,  were  all  playing 
on  the  river's  side,  when  all  the  rest  of  them  got  into  my 
father's  canoe,  and  put  out  to  amuse  theniselv&s  on  the 
water,  leaving  me  on  the  shore  alone. 

Just  a  little  distance  below  them,  there  was  a  fall  in  the 
river,  which  went  slap-right  straight  down.  My  brothers, 
though  they  were  little  fellows,  had  been  used  to  paddling 
the  canoe,  and  could  have  carried  it  safely  anywhere 
about  there ;  but  this  fellow  Campbell  wouldn't  let  them 
have  the  paddle,  but,  fool  like,  undertook  to  manage  it 
himself.  I  reckon  he  had  never  seen  a  water  craft  be 
fore  ;  and  it  went  just  any  way  but  the  way  he  wanted 
it.  There  he  paddled,  and  paddled,  and  paddled — all 


24  ESCAPE    FROM    DROWNING. 

the  while  going  wrong,  until,  in  a  short  time,  here  they 
were  all  going,  straight  forward,  stern  foremost,  right 
plump  to  the  falls ;  and  if  they  had  only  a  fair  shake, 
they  would  have  gone  over  as  slick  as  a  whistle.  It 
wasn't  this,  though,  that  scared  me,  for  I  was  so  infer 
nal  mad  that  they  had  left  me  on  the  shore,  that  I  had 
as  soon  have  seen  them  all  go  over  the  falls  a  bit,  as  any 
other  way.  But  their  danger  was  seen  by  a  man  by  the 
name  of  Kendall,  but  I'll  be  shot  if  it  was  Amos,  for  I 
believe  I  would  know  him  yet  if  I  was  to  see  him.  This 
man  Kendall  was  working  in  a  field  on  the  bank,  and 
knowing  there  was  no  time  to  lose,  he  started  full  tilt, 
and  here  he  come  like  a  cane  brake  afire ;  and  as  he  ran 
he  threw  off  his  coat,  and  then  his  jacket,  and  then  his  shirt, 
for  I  know  when  he  got  to  the  water  he  had  nothing  on  but 
hia  breeches.  But  seeing  him  in  such  a  hurry,  and  tearing 
ofl'  his  clothes  as  he  went,  I  had  no  doubt  but  that  the 
devil,  or  something  else  was  after  him — and  close  on  him, 
too — as  he  was  running  within  an  inch  of  his  life.  This 
alarmed  me,  and  I  screamed  out  like  a  young  painter. 
But  Kendall  didn't  stop  for  this.  He  went  ahead  with 
all  might,  and  as  full  bent  on  saving  the  boys,  as  Amos 
was  on  moving  the  deposites.  When  he  came  to  the  wa 
ter,  he  plunged  in,  and  where  it  was  too  deep  to  wade, 
he  would  swim,  and  wh'dre  it  was  shallow  enough  he  went 
bolting  on ;  and  by  such  exertion  as  I  never  saw  at  any  other 
time  in  my  life,  he  reached  the  canoe,  when  it  was  within 
twenty  or  thirty  feet  of  the  falls  ;  and  so  great  was  the  sue.: 
and  so  swift  the  current,  that  poor  Kendall  had  a  hard 
of  it  to  stop  them  at  last,  as  Amos  will  to  stop 
mouths  of  the  people  about,  his  stockjobbing.  IW 


A  MAN  SHOT  INSTEAD  OF  A  DEER.        25 

hung  on  to  the  canoe,  till  he  got  it  stopp'd,  and  then 
draw'd  it  out  of  danger.  When  they  got  out,  I  found 
the  boys  were  more  scared  than  I  had  been,  and  the  only 
thing  that  comforted  me  was  the  belief  that  it  was  a  pun 
ishment  on  them  for  leaving  me  on  shore. 

Shortly  after  this,  my  father  removed  and  settled  in 
the  same  county,  about  ten  miles  above  Greenville. 

There,  another  circumstance  happened,  which  made  a 
lasting  impression  on  my  memory,  though  I  was  but  a 
small  child.  Joseph  Hawkins,  who  was  a  brother  to  my 
mother,  was  in  the  woods  hunting  for  deer.  He  was 
passing  near  a  thicket  of  brush,  in  which  one  of  our 
neighbors  was  gathering  some  grapes,  as  it  was  in  the 
fall  of  the  year,  and  the  grape  season.  The  body  of  the 
man  was  hid  by  the  brush,  and  it  was  only  as  he  would 
raise  his  hand  to  pull  the  bunches,  that  any  part  of  him 
could  be  seen.  It  was  a  likely  place  for  deer,  and  my 
uncle,  having  no  suspicion  that  it  was  any  human  being, 
but  supposing  the  raising  of  the  hand  to  be  an  occasional 
twitch  of  a  deer's  ear,  fired  at  the  lump,  and  as  the  devil 
would  have  it,  unfortunately  shot  the  man  through  the 
body.  I  saw  my  father  draw  a  silk  handkerchief 
through  the  bullet  hole,  and  entirely  through  his  body ; 
yet  after  a  while  he  got  well,  as  little  as  any  one  would 
have  thought  it.  What  become  *of  him,  or  whether  he  is 
dead  or  alive,  I  don't  know;  but  I  reckon  he  didn't 
fancy  the  business  of  gathering  grapes  in  an  out-of-the- 
way  thicket  soon  again. 

The  next  move  my  father  made  was  to  the  mouth  of 
Cove  creek,  where  he  and  a  man  by  the  name  of  Thomas 
Galbre-ith  undertook  to  build  a  mill  in  partnership 


26       CROCKETT  HIRED  TO  A  DUTCHMAN. 

They  went  on  very  well  wHh  their  work  until  it  was  nigh 
done,  when  there  came  a  second  epistle  to  Ncah'a 
freshet,  and  away  went  their  mill,  shot,  lock,  and  barrel. 
I  remember  the  water  rose  so  high,  that  it  got  up  into 
the  house  we  lived  in,  and  my  father  moved  us  out  of  it 
to  keep  us  from  being  drowned.  I  was  now  about  seven 
or  eight  years  old,  and  have  a  pretty  distinct  recollection 
of  everything  that  was  going  on.  From  his  bad  luck  in 
that  business,  and  being  ready  to  wash  out  from  mill 
building,  my  father  again  removed,  and  this  time,  settled 
in  Jefferson  county,  now  in  the  State  of  Tennessee,  where 
he  opened  a  tavern  on  the  road  from  Abbingdon  to 
Knoxville. 

His  tavern  was  on  a  small  scale,  as  he  was  poor ;  and 
the  principal  accommodations  which  he  kept  were  for  the 
wagoners  who  traveled  the  road.  Here  I  remained  with 
him  until  I  was  twelve  years  old  ;  and  about  that  time, 
you  may  guess,  if  you  belong  to  Yankee  land,  or  reckon, 
if  like  me  you  belong  to  the  back-woods,  that  I  began  to 
make  up  my  acquaintance  with  hard  times,  and  a  plenty 
of  them. 

An  old  Dutchman,  by  the  name  of  Jacob  Siler,  who 
was  moving  from  Knox  county  to  Rockbridge,  in  the 
State  of  Virginia,  in  passing,  made  a  stop  at  my  father's 
b  use.  He  had  a  large  stock  of  cattle,  that  he  was  car 
rying  on  with  him,  and  I  suppose,  made  some  proposi 
tion  to  my  father  to  hire  some  one  to  assist  him. 

Being  hard  run  every  way,  and  having  no  thought,  aa 
I  believe,  that  I  was  cut  out  for  a  Congressman,  or  the 
like,  young  as  I  was,  and  as  little  as  I  knew  about  tra 
veling  or  being  from  home,  he  hired  me  to  the  old 


ANXIOUS   TO    RETURN   HOME.  2t 

Dutchman  to  go  four  hundred  miles  on  foot,  with  a  per 
fect  stranger  that  I  had  never  seen  until  the  evening  be 
fore.  I  set  out  with  a  heavy  heart,  it  is  true,  but  I  went 
ahead  until  we  arrived  at  the  place,  which  was  three  miles 
from  what  is  called  the  Natural  Bridge,  and  made  a  stop 
at  the  house  of  a  Mr.  Hartley,  who  was  father-in-law  to 
Mr.  Siler,  who  had  hired  me.  My  Dutch  master  was 
very  kind  to  me,  and  gave  me  five  or  six  dollars,  being 
pleased,  as  he  said,  with  my  services. 

This,  however,  I  think  was  a  bait  for  me,  as  he  per 
suaded  me  to  stay  with  him,  and  not  return  any  more  to 
my  father.  I  had  been  taught  so  many  lessons  of  obe 
dience  by  my  father,  that  I  at  first  supposed  I  was  bound 
*o  obey  this  man,  or  at  least  I  was  afraid  openly  to  dis 
obey  him  ;  and  I  therefore  staid  with  him,  and  tried  to 
put  on  a  look  of  perfect  contentment  until  I  got  the  fam 
ily  all  to  believe  I  was  fully  satisfied.  I  had  been  there 
about  four  or  five  weeks,  when  one  day  myself  arid  two 
other  boys  were  playing  on  the  roadside,  some  distance 
from  the  horse.  There  came  along  three  wagons.  One 
belonged  to  an  old  man  by  the  name  of  Dunn,  and  the 
others  to  two  of  his  sons.  They  had  each  of  them  a  good 
team,  and  were  all  bound  for  Knoxville.  They  hud  been 
in  the  habit  of  stopping  at  my  father's  as  they  passed 
the  road,  and  I  knew  them.  I  made  myself  known  to 
the  old  gentleman,  and  informed  him  of  my  situation ;  I 
expressed  a  wish  to  get  back  to  my  father  and  mother, 
if  they  could  fix  any  plan  for  me  to  do  so.  They  told  me  that 
they  would  stay  that  night  at  a  tavern  seven  miles  from 
there,  and  that  if  I  could  get  to  them  before  day  the 
next  morning,  they  would  take  me  home ;  and  if  I  waa 


28  ESCAPE. 

pursued,  they  would  protect  me.  Thig  was  a  Sunday 
evening  ;  I  went  back  to  the  good  old  Dutchman's  house, 
and  as  good  fortune  would  have  it,  he  and  the  family 
were  out  on  a  visit.  I  gathered  my  clothes  and  what 
little  money  I  had,  and  put  them  all  together  under  the 
head  of  my  bed.  I  went  to  bed  early  that  night,  but 
sleep  seemed  to  be  a  stranger  to  me.  For  though  I  was 
a  wild  boy,  yet  I  dearly  loved  my  father  and  mother, 
and  their  images  appeared  to  be  so  deeply  fixed  in  my 
mind,  that  I  could  not  sleep  for  thinking  of  them.  And 
then  the  fear  that  when  I  should  attempt  to  go  out,  I 
should  be  discovered  and  called  to  a  halt,  filled  me  with 
anxiety ;  and  between  my  childish  love  of  home,  on  the 
one  hand,  and  the  fears  of  which  I  have  •  spoken,  on  the 
other,  I  felt  mighty  queer. 

But  so  it  was,  about  three  hours  before  day  in  tha 
morning,  I  got  up  to  make  my  start.  When  I  got  out, 
I  found  it  was  snowing  fast,  and  that  the  snow  was  then 
on  the  ground  about  eight  inches  deep.  I  had  not  even 
the  advantage  of  moonlight,  and  the  whole  sky  was  hid 
by  the  falling  snow,  so  that  I  had  to' guess  at  my  way  to 
the  big  road,  which  was  about  a  half  mile  from  the  house. 
I,  however,  pushed  ahead,  and  soon  got  to  it,  and  theu 
pursued  it  in  the  direction  to  the  wagons. 

I  could  not  have  pursued  the  road  if  I  had  not  guided 
myself  by  the  opening  it  made  between  the  timber,  as 
the  snow  was  too  deep  to  leave  any  part  of  it  to  be  known 
by  either  seeing  or  feeling. 

Before  I  overtook  the  wagons,  the  earth  was  covered 
about  a?  deep  as  my  knees  ;  and  iny  tracks  filled  sc 


MR.    DUNN.  29 

briskly  after  me,   that  by  daylight  my  Dutch   master 
would  have  seen  no  trace  which  I  left. 

I  got  to  the  place  about  an  hour  before  day.  I  found 
the  wagoners  already  stirring,  and  engaged  in  feeding 
and  preparing  their  horses  for  a  start.  Mr.  Dunn  took 
me  in  and  treated  me  with  great  kindness.  My  heart 
was  more  deeply  impressed  by  meeting  with  such  a  friend 
and  "at  such  a  time$"  than  by  wading  the  snow-storm  by 
night,  or  all  the  other  sufferings  which  my  mind  had  en 
dured.  I  warmed  myself  by  the  fire,  for  I  was  very 
cold,  and  after  an  early  breakfast,  we  set  out  on  our 
journey.  The  thoughts  of  hoine  now  began  to  take  the 
entire  possession  of  my  mind,  and  I  almost  numbered  the 
sluggish  turns  of  the  wheels,  and  much  more  certainly 
the  miles  of  our  travel,  which  appeared  to  me  to  count 
mighty  slow.  I  continued  with  my  kind  protectors  until 
we  got  to  the  house  of  a  Mr.  John  Cole,  on  Roanoke, 
when  my  impatience  became  so.great,  that  I  determined 
to  set  out  on  foot  and  go  ahead  by  myself,  as  I  could  tra 
vel  twice  as  fast  in  that  way  as  the  wagons  could. 

Mr.  Dunn  seemed  very  sorry  to  part  with  me,  and 
used  many  arguments  to  prevent  me  from  leaving  him. 
But  home,  poor  as  it  was,  again  rushed  on  my  memory, 
and  it  seemed  ten  times  as  dear  to  me  as  it  ever  had 
before.  The  reason  was,  that  my  parents  were  there, 
and  all  that  I  had  been  accustomed  to  in  the  hours  of 
childhood  and  infancy  was  there  ;  and  there  my  anxious 
little  heart  panted  also  to  be.  We  remained  at  Mr. 
Cole's  that  night,  and  early  in  the  morning  I  felt  that  1 
could  not  stay ;  so,  taking  leave  of  my  friends,  the 
wagoners,  I  went  forward  on  foot,  until  I  was  fortu- 


80  DAVID    RETURNS    HOME. 

nately  overtaken  by  a  gentleman,  who  was  returning 
from  market,  to  which  he  had  been  with  a  drove  of 
horses.  He  had  a  led  horse,  with  a  bridle  and  saddle 
on  him,  and  he  kindly  offered  to  let  me  get  on  his  horse 
and  ride  him.  I  did  so,  and  was  glad  of  the  chance, 
for  I  was  tired,  and  was,  moreover,  near  the  first  cross 
ing  of  Roanoke,  which  I  would  have  been  compelled  to 
wade,  cold  as  the  water  was,  if  I  had  not  fortunately 
met  this  good  man.  I  travelled  with  him  in  this  way, 
without  anything  turning  up  worth  recording  until  we 
got  within  fifteen  miles  of  my  father's  house.  There 
we  parted,  and  he  went  on  to  Kentucky,  and  I  trudged 
on  homeward,  which  place  I  reached  that  evening.  The 
name  of  this  kind  gentleman  I  have  entirely  forgotten, 
and  I  am  sorry  for  it ;  for  it  deserves  a  high  place  in 
my  little  book.  A  remembrance  of  his  kindness  to  a 
little  straggling  boy,  and  a  stranger  to  him,  has,  how* 
ever,  a  resting  place  in  my  heart,  and  there  it  will  re 
main  as  long  as  I  live. 


CHAPTER   II. 

goes  to  school — Flogs  a  schoolmate  and  plays  truant-  ijote 
found  out — Runs  away — Hires  himself  to  Jesse  Cheek — Leavea 
him— Goes  with  Myers — Afraid  to  go  home — Works  for  John 
Gray — Goes  to  Baltimore — Agrees  to  go  to  sea — Made  prisoner — 
Escapes — Befriended  by  a  wagoner — His  kindness — David  "  hires 
out"  to  Cald well— Works  for  Griffith,  the  hatter— His  master 
breaks— file  starts  for  home — Perilous  adventure  in  a  canoe — 
Meets  his  brother — Reaches  home — His  reception. 

HAVING  gotten  home,  as  I  have  just  related,  I  re 
mained  with  my  father  until  the  next  fall,  at  which  time 
he  took  it  into  his  head  to  send  me  to  a  little  country 
school,  which  was  kept  in  the  neighborhood  by  a  man 
whose  name  was  Benjamin  Kitchen ;  though  I  believe 
he  was  no  way  connected  with  the  cabinet.  I  went  four 
days,  and  had  just  began  to  learn  my  letters  a  little, 
•when  I  had  an  unfortunate  falling  out  with  one  of  the 
scholars, — a  boy  much  larger  and  older  than  myself.  I 
knew  well  enough  that  though  the  school-house  might  do 
for  a  still  hunt,  it  wouldn't  do  for  a  drive,  and  so  1  con 
cluded  to  wait  until  I  could  get  him  out,  and  then  I  was 
determined  to  give  him  salt  and  vinegar.  I  waited  till 
in  the  evening,  and  when  the  larger  scholars  were  spell 
ing  I  slipp'd  out,  and  going  some  distance  along  his  road, 
I  lay  by  the  way-side  in  the  bushes,  waiting  for  him  tc 
come  along.  After  awhile,  he  and  his  company  came 

(31) 


32  DAVID    PLAYS    TRUANT. 

on  sure  enough,  and  I  pitched  out  from  the  bushes  and 
set  on  him  like  a  wild  cat.  I  scratched  his  face  all  to  a 
flitter  jig,  and  soon  made  him  cry  out  for  quarters  in 
good  earnest.  The  fight  being  over,  I  ^ent  on  home, 
and  the  next  morning  was  started  again  to  school ;  but 
do  you  think  I  went?  No,  indeed.  I  ws.s  very  clear 
of  it;  for  I  expected  the  master  would  lick  me  up  a? 
bad  as  I  had  the  boy.  So,  instead  of  going  to  the 
school-house,  I  laid  out  in  the  woods  all  day  until  in  the 
evening  the  scholars  were  dismissed,  and  n.y  brothers, 
who  were  also  going  to  school,  came  along,  returning 
home.  I  wanted  to  conceal  this  whole  busKes§  from  my 
father,  and  I  persuaded  them  not  to  tell  on  me,  which 
they  agreed  to. 

Things  went  on  in  this  way  for  several  days  ;  I  start 
ing  with  them  to  school  in  the  morning,  and  returning 
with  them  in  the  evening,  but  lying  out  in  the  woods  all 
day.  At  last,  however,  the  master  wrote  a  note  to  my 
father,  inquiring  why  I  was  not  sent  to  school.  When 
he  read  this  note  he  called  me  up,  and  I  knew  very  well 
that  I  was  in  a  devil  of  a  hobble,  for  my  father  had  been 
taking  a  few  kom$,  and  was  in  a  good  condition  to  make 
the  fur  fly.  lie-  called  on  me  to  know  why  I  had  not 
been  at  school.  I  told  him  I  was  afraid  to  go,  and  that 
the  master  would  whip  me,  for  I  knew  quite  well  if  I 
was  turned  over  to  this  old  Kitchen,  I  should  be  cooked 
np  to  a  cracklin'  in  little  or  no  time.  But  I  soon  found 
that  I  uas  not  to  expect  a  much  better  fate  at  home  ;  for 
my  father  told  me,  in  a  very  angry  manner,  that  he 
would  whip  me  an  eternal  sight  worse  than  the  master 
if  I  didn't  start  immediately  to  the  school.  I  tried 


HIKES   HIMbELF   TO    JESSE    CHEEK.  83 

t«s  beg  off,  but  nothing  would  do  but  to  go  to  the 
school.  FinOmg  ine  rather  too  slow  about  starting,  he 
gathered  about  a  two  year  old  hickory,  and  broke  after 
me.  I  put  out  with  all  my  might,  and  soon  we  were 
both  up  to  the  top  of  our  speed.  We  had  a  tolerable  * 
rough  race  for  about  a  mile;  but  mind  me,  not  on  the 
school-house  road,  for  I  was  trying  to  get  as  far  the 
t'other  way  as  possible.  And  I  yet  believe,  if  my  father 
and  the  schoolmaster  could  both  have  levied  on  me  about 
that  time,  I  should  never  have  been  called  on  to  sit  in 
the  councils  of  the  nation,  for  I  think  they  would  have 
used  me  up.  But  fortunately  for  me,  about  this  time  I 
saw  just  before  me  a  hill,  over  which  I  made  headway, 
like  a  young  steamboat.  As  soon  as  I  had  passed  over 
it,  I  turned  to  one  side,  and  hid  myself  in  the  bushes. 
Here  I  waited  until  the  old  gentleman  passed  by,  puffing 
and  blowing,  as  though  his  steam  was  high  enough  to 
burst  his  boilers.  I  waited  until  he  gave  up  the  hunt, 
«tnd  passed  back  again :  I  then  cut  out,  and  went  to  the 
house  of  an  acquaintance  a  few  miles  off,  who  was  just 
about  to  start  with  a  drove.  His  name  was  Jesse  Cheek, 
and  I  hired  myself  to  go  with  him,  determining  not  to 
return  home,  as  home  and  the  school-house  had  both 
become  too  hot  for  me.  I  had  an  elder  brother,  who 
also  hired  to  go  with  the  same  drove.  We  set  out  and 
went  on  through  Abbingdon,  and  the  county  seat  of 
Withe  county,  in  the  State  of  Virginia ;  and  then  through 
Lynchburgh,  by  Orange  court-house,  and  Charlottesville, 
passing  through  what  was  called  Chester  Gap,  on  to  a 
town  called  Front  Royal,  where  my  employer  soH  out 
his  drove  to  a  man  by  the  name  of  Vanmetre  •  and  1 
3 


84  AFRAID  TO   GO   HOME. 

was  started  homeward  again,  in  company  with  a  brother 
of  the  first  owner  of  the  drove,  with  one  horse  between 
us ;  having  left  my  brother  to  come  on  with  the  balance 
of  the  company. 

I  traveled  on  with  my  new  comrade  about  three  days' 
journey ;  but  much  to  his  discredit,  as  I  then  thought, 
And  still  think,  he  took  care  all  the  time  to  ride,  but 
never  to  tie;  at  last  I  told  him  to  go  ahead,  and  I 
would  come  when  I  got  ready.  He  gave  me  four  dollars 
to  bear  my  expenses  upwards  of  four  hundred  miles,  and 
then  cut  out  and  left  me. 

I  purchased  some  provisions,  and  went  on  slowly, 
until  at  length  I  fell  in  with  a  wagoner,  with  whom  I 
was  disposed  to  scrape  up  a  hasty  acquaintance.  I  in 
quired  where  he  lived,  and  where  he  was  going,  and  all 
about  his  affairs.  He  informed  me  that  he  lived  in 
Greenville,  Tennessee,  and  was  on  his  way  to  a  place 
called  Gerardstown,  fifteen  miles  below  Winchester. 
He  also  said,  that  after  he  should  make  his  journey  to 
that  place,  he  would  immediately  return  to  Tennessee. 
His  name  was  Adam  Myers,  and  a  jolly  good  fellow  he 
seemed  to  be.  On  a  little  reflection,  I  determined  tn 
turn  back  and  go  with  him,  which  I  did ;  and  we  jour 
neyed  on  slowly,  as  wagons  commonly  do,  but  merrily 
enough.  I  often  thought  of  home,  and,  indeed,  wished 
bad  enough  to  be  there ;  but,  when  I  thought  of  the 
school-house,  and  Kitchen,  my  master,  and  the  race 
•with  my  father,  and  the  big  hickory  he  carried,  and  of 
the  fierceness  of  the  storm  of  wrath  that  I  had  left  him 
in,  I  was  afraid  to  venture  back  ;  for  I  knew  my  father's 
nature  so  well,  that  I  was  certain  his  anger  would  hang 


WORKS  FOR  JOHN  GRAY.  35 

on  to  hira,  like  a  turkle  does  to  a  fisherman's  toe,  and 
that,  if  I  went  back  in  a  hurry,  he  would  give  me  the 
devil  in  three  or  four  ways.  But  I  and  the  wagoner  had 
traveled  two  days  when  we  met  my  brother,  who,  I  be 
fore  stated,  I  had  left  behind  when  the  drove  was  sold 
out.  He  persuaded  me  to  go  home,  but  I  refused.  Ho 
pressed  me  hard,  and  brought  up  a  great  many  mighty 
strong  arguments  to  induce  me  to  turn  back  again.  He 
pictured  the  pleasure  of  meeting  my  mother,  and  my 
sisters,  who  all  loved  me  dearly,  and  told  me  what  unea 
siness  they  had  already  suffered  about  me.  I  could  not 
help  shedding  tears,  which  I  did  not  often  do,  and  my 
affections  all  pointed  back 'to  those  dearest  friends,  and 
as  I  thought,  nearly  the  only  ones  I  had  in  the  world ; 
but  then  the  promised  whipping — that  was  the*  thing. 
It  came  right  slap  down  on  every  thought  of  home ;  and 
I  finally  determined  that  make  or  break,  hit  or  miss,  I 
would  just  hang  on  to  my  journey,  and  go  ahead  with 
the  wagoner.  My  brother  was  much  grieved  at  our 
parting,  but  he  went  his  way,  and  so  did  I.  We  went 
on  until  at  last  we  got  to  Gerardstown,  where  the 
wagoner  tried  to  get  a  back  load,  but  he  could  not 
without  going  to  Alexandria.  He  engaged  to  go  there, 
and  I  concluded  that  I  would  wait  until  he  returned.  I 
sot  in  to  work  for  a  man  by  the  name  of  John  Gray,  at 
twenty-five  cents  per  day.  My  labor,  however,  -was 
light,  such  as  ploughing  in  some  small  gram,  in  which  I 
succeeded  in  pleasing  the  old  man  very  well.  I  con 
tinued  working  for  him  until  the  wagoner  got  back,  and 
for  a  good  long  time  afterwards,  as  he  continued  to  run 
his  team  back  and  forward,  hauling  to  and  from  Balti 


86       ,  GOES  TO   BALTIMORE. 

more.  In  the  next  spring,  from  the  proceeds  of  my 
daily  labor,  small  as  it  was,  I  was  able  to  get  me  some 
decent  clothes,  and  concluded  I  would  make  a  trip  with 
Jhe  wagoner  to  Baltimore,  and  see  what  sort  of  a  place 
that  was,  and  what  sort  of  folks  lived  there.  I  gave 
him  the  balance  of  what  money  I  had  for  safe  keeping, 
which,  as  well  as  I  recollect,  was  about  seven  dollars. 
We  got  on  well  enough  until  we  came  near  Ellicott's 
Mills.  Our  load  consisted  of  flour  in  barrels.  Here  I 
got  into  the  wagon  for  the  purpose  of  changing  my 
clothing,  not  thinking  that  I  was  in  any  danger ;  but, 
while  I  was  in  there,  we  were  met  by  some  wheelbarrow 
men,  who  were  working  on  the  road,  and  the  horses  took 
a  scare  and  away  they  went,  like  they  had  seen  a  ghost. 
They  made  a  sudden  wheel  around,  and  broke  the  wagon 
tongue  slap,  short  off",  as  a  pipe-stem ;  and  snap  went 
both  of  the  axletrees  at  the  same  time,  and  of  all  devil 
ish  flouncing  about  of  flour  barrels  that  ever  was  seen, 
I  reckon  this  took  the  beat.  Even  a  rat  would  have 
stood  a  bad  chance  in  a  straight  race  among  them,  and 
not  much  better  in  a  crooked  one ;  for  he  veuM  have 
been  in  a  good  way  to  be  ground  up  as  fine  as  ginger 
by  their  rolling  over  him.  But  this  proved  to  me,  that 
if  a  fellow  is  born  to  be  hung,  he  will  never  be  drowned ; 
and,  further,  that  if  he  is  born  for  a  seat  in  Congress, 
even  flour  barrels  can't  make  a  mash  of  him.  All  these 
dangers  I  escaped  unhurt,  though,  like  most  of  the 
office-holders  of  these  times,  for  a  while  I  was  afraid  to 
8J\y  my  soul  was  my  own ;  for  I  didn't  know  how  soon 
I  should  be  knocked  into  a  cocked  hat,  and  get  my 
walking  papers  for  another  country. 


AGREES   TO   GO   TO   SEA.  87 

We  put  our  load  into  another  wagon,  and  hauled  onra 
to  a  workman's  shop  in  Baltimore,  having  delivered  the 
flour,  and  there  we  intended  to  remain  two  or  three  days, 
which  time  was  necessary  to  repair  the  runaway  wagon. 
While  I  was  there,  I  went  one  day,  down  to  the  wharf, 
and  was  much  delighted  to  see  the  big  ships,  and  their 
sails  all  flying,  for  I  had  never  seen  such  things  before, 
and,  indeed,  I  didn't  believe  there  were  any  such  things 
in  all  nature.  After  a  short  time,  my  curiosity  induced 
me  to  step  aboard  of  one,  where  I  was  met  by  the  cap 
tain,  who  asked  me  if  I  didn't  wish  to  take  a  voyage  to 
London  ?  I  told  him  I  did,  for  by  this  time  I  had  be 
come  pretty  well  weaned  from  home,  and  I  cared  but  lit 
tle  where  I  was,  or  where  I  went,  or  what  became  of  me. 
He  said  he  wanted  just  such  a  boy  as  I  was,  which  I  was 
glad  to  hear.  I  told  him  I  would  go  and  get  my  clothes 
and  go  with  him.  He  enquired  about  my  parents,  where 
they  lived,  and  all  about  them.  I  let  him  know  that 
they  lived  in  Tennessee,  many  hundred  miles  off.  We 
soon  agreed  about  my  intended  voyage,  and  I  went  back 
to  my  friend,  the  wagoner,  and  informed  him  that  I  was 
going  to  London,  and  wanted  my  money  and  my  clothes. 
He  refused  to  let  me  have  either,  and  swore  that  he 
would  confine  me,  and  take  me  back  to  Tennessee.  I 
took  it  to  heart  very  much,  but  he  kept  so  close  and  con 
stant  watch  over  me,  that  I  found  it  impossible  10  escape 
from  him,  until  he  had  started  homeward,  and  made  sev 
eral  days  journey  on  the  road.  He  was,  during  this 
time,  very  ill  to  me,  and  threatened  me  with  his  wagon- 
whip  on  several  occasions.  At  length  I  resolved  to  leavo 
at  all  hazards ;  and  so,  before  dav,  one  morning,  I 


88  PROTECTED   BY  A  WAGONER. 

got  my  clothes  out  of  his  wagon,  and  cut  out,  on  foot, 
>ithout  a  farthing  of  money  to  bear  my  expenses.  For, 
all  other  friends  having  failed,  I  determined  then  to 
throw  myself  on  Providence,  and  see  how  that  would  use 
me.  I  had  gone,  however,  only  a  few  miles,  when  I 
came  up  with  another  wagoner,  and  such  was  my  situa 
tion,  that  I  felt  more  than  ever  the  necessity  of  endea 
voring  to  find  a  friend.  I  therefore  concluded  I  would 
seek  for  one  in  him.  He  was  going  westwardly,  and 
very  kindly  enquired  of  me  where  I  was  traveling  ?  My 
youthful  resolution,  which  had  brooked  almost  everything 
else,  rather  gave  way  at  this  inquiry  ;  for  it  brought  the 
loneliness  of  my  situation,  and  everything  else  that  was 
calculated  to  oppress  me,  directly  to  view.  My  first  an 
swer^to  his  questions  was  in  a  sprinkle  of  tears,  for  if 
the  world  had  been  given  to  me,  I  could  not,  at  that  mo 
ment  have  helped  crying.  As  soon  as  the  storm  of  feel 
ing  was  over,  I  told  him  how  I  had  been  treated  by  the 
wagoner  but  a  little  before,  who  kept  what  little  money 
1  had,  and  left  me  without  a  copper  to  buy  even  a  mor 
sel  of  food. 

He  became  exceedingly  angry,  and  swore  that  he 
would  make  the  other  wagoner  give  up  my  money,  pro 
nouncing  him  a  scoundrel,  and'  many  other  hard  names. 

I  told  him  I  was  afraid  to  see  him,  for  he  had  threat 
ened  me  with  his  wagon-whip,  and  I  believed  he  would 
injure  me.  But  my  new  friend  was  a  very  large,  stout- 
looking  man,  and  as  resolute  as  a  tiger.  He  bid  me  not 
to  be  afraid,  still  swearing  he  would  have  my  money,  or 
whip  it  out  of  the  wretch  who  had  it. 

We  turned,  and  went  back  about  two  miles,  when  we 


KINDNESS  OP  MR.   MYERS.  89 

reached  the  place  where  he  was.  I  went  reluctantly ; 
but  I  depended  on  my  friend  for  protection.  When  we 
got  there,  I  had  but  little  to  say ;  but,  approaching  the 
wagoner,  my  friend  said  to  him,  "  You  damn'd  rascal, 
you  have  treated  this  boy  badly."  To  which  he  repliel 
it  was  my  fault.  He  was  then  asked  if  he  did  not  get 
seven  dollars  of  my  money,  which  he  confessed.  It  was 
then  demanded  of  him ;  but  he  declared  most  solemnly 
that  he  had  not  that  amount  in  the  world ;  that  he  had 
spent  my  money,  and  intended  paying  it  back  to  me 
when  we  got  to  Tennessee.  I  then  felt  reconciled,  and 
persuaded  my  friend  to  let  him  alone,  and  we  returned 
to  his  wagon,  geared  up,  and  started.  His  name  I  shall 
never  forget  while  my  memory  lasts;  it  was  Henry 
Myers.  He  lived  in  Pennsylvania,  and  I  found  him 
what  he  professed  to  be,  a  faithful  friend,  and  a  clever 
fellow. 

We  traveled  together  for  several  days,  but  at  length 
I  concluded  to  endeavor  to  make  my  way  homeward ; 
and  for  that  purpose,  set  out  again  on  foot,  and  alone. 
But  one  thing  I  must  not  omit.  The  last  night  I  staid 
with  Mr.  Myers  was  at  a  place  where  several  wagoners 
also  staid.  He  told  them  before  we  parted,  that  I  was 
a  poor  little  straggling  boy,  and  how  I  had  been  treated, 
and  tLat  I  was  without  money,  though  I  had  a  long  jour 
ney  before  me,  through  a  land  of  strangers,  where  it  wan 
not  even  a  wilderness. 

They  were  good  enough  to  contribute  a  sort  of  money- 
purse,  and  presented  me  with  three  dollars.  On  this 
amount  I  traveled  as  far  as  Montgomery  court-house,  in 
the  State  of  Virginia,  where  it  gave  out.  T  set  in  to 


40  PERILOUS  ADVENTURE. 

work  for  a  man  by  the  name  of  James  Caldwell,  a 
month,  for  five  dollars,  which  was  about  a  shilling  a  day. 
When  this  time  was  out,  I  bound  myself  to  a  man  by  the 
name  of  Elijah  Griffith,  by  trade  a  hatter,  agreeing  to 
work  for  him  for  four  years.  I  remained  with  him  about 
eighteen  months,  when  he  found  himself  so  involved  in 
debt,  that  he  broke  up  and  left  the  country.  For  this 
time,  I  had  received  nothing,  and  was,  of  course,  left 
without  money,  and  with  but  very  few  clothes,  and  them 
very  indifferent  ones.  I,  however,  set  in  again,  and 
worked  about  as  I  could  catch  employment,  until  I  got 
a  little  money  and  some  clothing,  and  once  more  cut  out 
for  home.  When  I  reached  New  River,  at  the  mouth  of 
a  small  stream  called  Little  River,  the  white  caps  were 
flying,  so  that  I  couldn't  get  anybody  to  attempt  to  put 
me  arcross.  I  argued  the  case  as  well  as  I  could,  but 
they  told  me  there  was  great  danger  of  being  capsized 
and  drowned,  if  I  attempted  to  cross.  I  told  them  if  I 
could  get  a  canoe  I  would  venture,  caps  or  no  caps. 
They  tried  to  persuade  me  out  of  it ;  but  finding  thoy 
could  not,  they  agreed  I  might  take  a  carioe,  and  so  I 
did,  and  put  off.  I  tied  my  clothes  to  the  rope  of  the 
canoe  to  have  them  safe,  whatever  might  happen.  But 
I  found  it  a  mighty  ticklish  business,  I  tell  you.  When 
1  got  out  fairly  on  the  river,  I  would  have  given  the 
world,  if  it  had  belonged  to  me,  to  have  been  back  on 
eh  >re.  But  there  was  no  time  to  lose  now,  so  I  just  de 
tcrmined  to  do  the  best  I  could,  and  the  devil  take  the 
hindmost.  I  turned  the  canoe  across  the  waves,  to  d<» 
*hich,  I  had  to  turn  it  nearly  up  the  river,  as  die  wind 
came  from  that  way ;  and  I  went  about  two  miles  before 


DAVID   REACHES   HOME.  41 

I  could  land.  When  I  struck  land,  my  canoe  was  about 
half  full  of  water,  and  I  was  as  wet  as  a  drowned  rat. 
But  I  was  so  much  rejoiced  that  I  scarcely  felt  the  cold, 
though  my  clothes  were  frozen  on  me;  and,  in  this  situ* 
ation,  I  had  to  go  above  three  miles  before  I  could  find 
any  house  or  fire  to  warm  at.  I,  however,  made  out  to 
get  to  one  at  last,  and  then  I  thought  I  would  warm  the 
inside  a  little,  as  well  as  the  outside,  that  there  might  be 
no  grumbling. 

So  I  took  "a  leetle  of  the  creater," — that  warmer  of 
tfie  cold,  and  cooler  of  the  hot — and  it  made  me  feel  so 
good,  that  I  concluded  it  was  like  the  negro's  rabbit, 
"  good  any  way."  I  passed  on  until  I  arrived  in  Sulli 
van  county,  in  the  State  of  Tennessee,  and  there  I  met 
with  my  brother,  who  had  gone  with  me  wheri  I  started 
from  home  with  the  cattle  drove. 

I  staid  with  him  a  few  weeks,  and  then  went  on  to  my 
father's,  which  place  I  reached  late  in  the  evening. 
Several  wagons  were  there  for  the  night,  and  considera 
ble  company  about  the  house.  I  enquired  if  I  could 
stay  all  night,  for  I  did  not  intend  to  make  myself  known 
until  I  saw  whether  any  of  the  family  would  find  me  out. 
I  was  told  that  I  could  stay,  and  went  in,  but  had  mighty 
little  to  say  to  anybody.  I  had  been  gone  so  long,  and 
had  grown  so  much,  that  the  family  did  not  at  first  know 
me.  And  another,  and  perhaps  a  stronger  reason  was, 
they  had  no  thought  or  expectation  of  me,  for  they  all 
had  long  given  me  up  for  finally  lost. 

After  a  while,  we  were  all  called  to  supper.  I  went 
with  the  rest.  We  had  sat  down  to  the  table  and  begun 
to  eat,  when  my  eldest  sister  recollected  me ;  she  sprung 


42  DAVID   AT  HOME. 

up,  ran  and  seized  me  around  the  neck,  and  exclaimed, 
"  Here  is  my  lost  brother." 

My  feelings  at  this  time  it  would  be  vain  and  foolioh 
for  me  to  attempt  to  describe.  I  had  often  thought  I 
felt  before,  and  I  suppose  I  had,  but  sure  I  am,  I  ne\er 
Lad  felt  as  I  then  did.  The  joy  of  my  sisters  and  my 
mother,  and,  indeed,  of  all  the  family,  was  such,  that  it 
humbled  me,  and  made  me  sorry  that  I  hadn't  submitted 
to  a  hundred  whippings,  sooner  than  cause  so  much  afflic 
tion  as  they  had  suffered  on  my  account.  I  found  the 
family  had  never  heard  a  word  of  me  from  the  time  my 
brother  left  me.  I  was  now  almost  fifteen  years  old ; 
and  my  increased  age  and  size,  together  with  the  joy  of 
my  father  occasioned  by  my  unexpected  return,  I  was 
sure  would  secure  me  against  my  long  dreaded  whipping  ; 
and  so  they  did.  But  it  will  be  a  source  of  astonishment, 
to  many,  who  reflect  that  I  am  now  a  member  of  the 
American  Congress — the  most  enlightened  body  of  men 
in  the  world — that  at  so  advanced  an  age,  the  age  of  <if- 
teen,  1  did  not  know  the  first  letter  ia  the  book. 


CHAPTER   III. 

David  at  Home — Works  out  a  Debt  for  his  Father — Hires  out  with 
an  old  Quaker — Gets  paid  in  a  Note  of  his  Father's— David  falla 
in  love  with  a  Quakeress — Disappointed — Goes  to  School — Falla 
in  love  again — Goes  to  a  Shooting  Match — Gets  jilted — Sick  at 
Heart. 

I  HAD  remained  for  some  short  time  at  home  with  my 
father,  when  he  informed  me  that  he  owed  a  man,  whose 
name  was  Abraham  Wilson,  the  sum  of  thirty-six  dollars, 
and  that  if  I  would  set  in  and  work  out  the  note,  so  as 
to  lift  it  for  him,  he  would  discharge  me  from  his  service, 
and  I  might  go  free.  I  agreed  to  do  this,  and  went  imme 
diately  to  the  man  who  held  my  father's  note,  and  con 
tracted  with  him  to  work  six  months  for  it.  I  set  in, 
and  worked  with  all  my  might,  not  losing  a  single  day 
in  the  six  months.  When  my  time  was  out,  I  got 'my 
father's  note,  and  then  declined  working  with  the  man 
any  longer,  though  he  wanted  to  hire  me  mighty  bad. 
The  reason  was,  it  was  a  place  where  a  heap  of  bad  com 
pany  met  to  drink  and  gamble,  and  I  wanted  to  get  away 
from  them,  for  I  know'd  very  well  if  I  staid  there,  I 
should  get  a  bad  name,  as  nobody  could  be  respectable 
that  would  live  there.  I  therefore  returned  to  my  father 
and  gave  him  up  his  paper,  which  seemed  to  please  him 
mightily,  for  though  he  was  poor,  he  was  an  honest  man, 

and  always  tried  mighty  hard  to  pay  off  his  debts. 

(43) 


44  WORKS   OUT   HIS  FATHER'S   NOTE. 

I  next  went  to  the  house  of  an  honest  old  Quakt/,  by 
the  name  of  John  Kennedy,  who  had  removed  iron 
Noith  Carolina,  and  proposed  to  hire  myself  to  him,  at 
t\\o  shillings  a  day.  He  agreed  to  take  me  a  week  on 
trial ;  at  the  end  of  which  he  appeared  pleased  with  my 
work,  and  informed  me  that  he  held  a  note  on  my  father 
for  forty  dollars,  and  that  he  would  give  me  that  note 
if  I  would  work  for  him  six  months.  I  was  certain 
enough  that  I  should  never  get  any  part  of  the  note  ; 
but  then  I  remembered  it  was  my  father  that  owed  it, 
and  I  concluded  it  was  my  duty  as  a  child  to  help  him 
along,  and  ease  his  lot  as  much  as  I  could.  I  told  the 
Quaker  I  would  take  him  up  at  his  oifer,  and  immedi 
ately  went  to  work.  I  never  visited  my  father's  house 
during  the  whole  time  of  this  engagement,  though  he 
lived  only  fifteen  miles  off.  But  when  it  was  finished, 
and  I  had  got  the  note,  I  borrowed  one  of  my  employer's 
horses,  and,  on  a  Sunday  evening,  went  to  pay  my 
parents  a  visit.  Some  time  after  I  got  there,  I  pulled 
out  the  note  and  handed  it  to  my  father,  who  supposed 
Mr.  Kennedy  had  sent  it  for  collection.  The  old  man 
looked  mighty  sorry,  and  said  to  me  he  had  not  the 
money  to  pay  it,  and  didn't  know  what  he  should  do.  I 
then  told  him  I  had  paid  it  for  him,  and  it  was  then  his 
own ;  that  it  was  not  presented  for  collection,  but  as  a 
present  from  me.  At  this  he  shed  a  heap  of  tears;  and 
as  soon  as  he  got  a  little  over  it,  he  said  he  was  sorry' 
he  could  not  give  me  anything,  but  he  was  not  able,  he 
was  too  poor. 

The  next  day  I  went  back  to  my  old  friend,  the  Qua 
ker,  and  set  in  to  work  for  him  for  some  clothes ;  for  I 


DAVID    IN    LOVE.  ,   45 

had  now  worked  a  year  without  getting  any  money  at 
all,  and  my  clothes  were  nearly  all  worn  out,  and  what 
few  I  had  left  were  mighty  indifferent.  I  worked  in 
this  way  for  about  two  months  ;  and  in  that  time  a  young 
woman  from  North  Carolina,  who  was  the  Quaker's 
niece,  came  on  a  visit  to  his  house.  And  now  I  am  just 
getting  on  a  part  of  my  history  that  I  know  I  never  can 
forget.  For  though  I  have  heard  people  talk  about 
hard  loving,  yet  I  reckon  no  poor  devil  in  this  world 
was  ever  cursed  with  such  hard  love  as  mine  has  always 
been,  when  it  came  on  me.  I  soon  found  myself  head 
over  heels  in  love  with  this  girl,  whose  name  the  public 
could  make  no  use  of;  and  I  thought  that  if  all  the  hills 
about  there  were  pure  chink,  and  .all  belonged  to  me,  I 
would  give  them  if  I  could  just  talk  to  her  as  I  wanted 
to:  but  I  was  afraid  to  begin,  for  when  I  would  think 
of  saying  anything  to  her,  my  heart  would  begin  to 
flutter  like  a  duck  in  a  puddle ;  and  if  I  tried  to  outdo 
it  and  speak,  it  would  get  right  smack  up  in  my  throat, 
and  choke  me  like  a  cold  potato.  It  bore  on  my  mind 
in  this  way,  till  at  last  I  concluded  I  must  die  if  I  didn't 
broach  the  subject ;  and  so  I  determined  to  begin  and 
hang  on  a  trying  to  speak,  till  my  heart  would  get  out 
of  my  throat  one  way  or  t'other.  And  so  one  day  at 
it  I  went,  and  after  several  trials  I  could  say  a  little. 
I  told  her  how  well  I  loved  her ;  that  she  was  the  dar 
ling  object  of  my  soul  and  body  ;  and  I  must  have  her, 
or  else  I  should  pine  down  to  nothing,  and  just  die  away 
with  the  consumption. 

1  found  my  talk  was  not  disagreeable  to  her ;  but  she 
was  an  honest  girl,  and  didn't  want  to  deceive  nobody. 


46  DAVID   GOBS   TO   SCHOOL. 

She  told  me  she  was  engaged  to  her  cousin,  a  son  of 
the  old  Quaker.  This  news  was  worse  to  rae  than  war, 
pestilence,  or  famine;  but  still  I  knowed  I  could  nol 
help  myself.  I  saw  quick  enough  my  cake  was  dough, 
and  I  tried  to  cool  off  as  fast  as  possible ;  but  I  had 
hardly  safety  pipes  enough,  as  my  love  was  so  hot  as 
mighty  nigh  to  burst  my  boilers.  But  I  didn't  press 
my  claims  any  more,  seeing  there  was  no  chance  to  do 
anything. 

I  began  now  to  think  that  all  my  misfortunes  growed 
out  of  my  want  of  learning.  I  had  never  been  to  school 
but  four  days,  as  the  reader  has  already  seen,  and  did 
not  yet  know  a  letter. 

I  thought  I  would  try  to  go  to  school  some,  and  as  the 
Quaker  had  a  married  son  who  was  living  about  a  mile 
and  a  half  from  him,  and  keeping  a  school,  I  proposed 
to  him  that  I  would  go  to  school  four  days  in  the  week, 
and  work  for  him  the  other  two,  to  pay  my  board  and 
schooling.  He  agreed  I  might  come  on  these  terms ; 
and  so  at  it  I  went,  learning  and  working,  backwards 
and  forwards,  until  I  had  been  with  him  nigh  on  to  six 
months.  In  this  time,  I  learned  to  read  a  little  in  my 
primer,  to  write  my  own  name,  and  to  cypher  some  rn 
the  first  three  rules  in  figures.  And  this  was  all  the 
schooling  I  ever  had  in  my  life,  up  to  this  day.  I 
should  have  continued  longer,  if  it  hadn't  been  that  I 
concluded  I  couldn't  do  any  longer  without  a  wife  ;  and 
so  I  cut  out  to  hunt  me  one. 

I  found  a  family  of  very  pretty  little  girls  that  I  had 
known  when  very  young.  They  had  lived  in  the  same  neigh 
borhood  with  me,  and  I  had  thought  very  well  of  them. 


IN  LOVE   AGAIN.  47 

I  -made  an  offer  to  one  of  them,  whose  name  is  nobody's 
business,  no  more  than  the  Quaker  girl's  was,  and  1 
found  she  took  it  very  well.  I  still  continued  paying  my 
respects  to  her,  until  I  got  to  love  her  as  bad  as  1  had 
the  Quaker's  niece  ;  and  I  would  hat  3  agreed  to  fight  a 
whr)le  regiment  of  wild  cats  if  she  would  only  have  said 
she  would  have  me.  Several  months  passed  in  this  way, 
during  all  of  which  time  she  continued  very  kind  and 
friendly.  At  last,  the  son  of  the  old  Quaker  and  ray 
first  girl  had  concluded  to  bring  their  matter  to  a  close, 
and  my  little  queen  and  myself  were  called  on  to  wait 
on  them.  We  went  on  the  day,  and  performed  our  duty 
as  attendants.  This  made  me  worse  than  ever;  and  af 
ter  it  was  over,  I  pressed  my  claim  very  hard  on  her,  but 
she  would  still  give  me  a  sort  of  evasive  answer.  How 
ever,  I  gave  her  mighty  little  peace,  till  she  told  me  at 
last  she  would  have  me.  I  thought  this  was  glorification 
enough,  even  without  spectacles.  I  was  then  about 
eighteen  years  old.  We  fixed  the  time  to  be  nnvried  ; 
and  I  thought  if  that  day  come,  I  sheuld  be  the  happiest 
man  in  the  created  world,  or  in  the  raoon,  or  anywhere 
else. 

I  had  by  this  time  got  to  be  mighty  fond  of  the  rifle, 
and  had  bought  a  capital  one.  I  most  generally  carried 
her  with  me  wherever  I  went,  and  though  I  had  got  back 
tc  the  old  Quaker's  to  live,  who  was  a  very  particular 
man,  I  would  sometimes  slip  out  and  attend  the  shooting 
matches,  where  they  shot  for  beef;  I  always  tried, 
though,  to  keep  it  a  secret  from  him.  He  had,  at  tho 
same  time,  a  bound  boy  living  with  him,  whr  I  had  got 
ten  into  almost  as  great  a  notion  of  the  girls  as  myself. 


48  DAVID   GOBS  TO   A   SHOOTING   MATCH. 

Flo  was  about  my  own  age,  and  was  deeply  smitten  with 
the  sister  to  my  intended  wife.  I  know'd  it  was  in  vain 
to  try  to  get  the  leave  of  the  old  man  for  my  young  as 
sociate  to  go  with  me  on  any  of  my  courting  frolics  ;  but 
I  thought  I  could  fix  a  plan  to  have  him  along,  which 
would  not  injure  the  Quaker,  as  we  had  no  notion  that 
he  should  ever  know  it.  We  commonly  slept  up  stairs, 
and  at  the  gable  end  of  the  house  there  was  a  window. 
So,  one  Sunday,  when  the  old  man  and  his  family  were 
all  gone  to  meeting,  we  went  out  and  cut  a  long  pole, 
and  taking  it  to  the  house,  we  set  it  up  on  end  in  the 
corner,  reaching  up  the  chimney  as  high  as  the  window. 
After  this  we  would  go  up  stairs  to  bed,  and  then  putting 
on  our  Sunday  clothes,  would  go  out  at  the  window,  and 
climb  down  the  pole,  take  a  horse  a-piece,  and  ride  about 
ten  miles  to  where  his  sweetheart  lived,  and  the  girl  I 
claimed  as  my  wife.  I  was  always  mighty  careful  to  be 
back  before  day,  so  as  to  escape  being  found  out ;  and  in 
this  way  I  continued  my  attentions  very  closely,  until  a 
few  days  before  I  was  to  be  married,  or  at  least  thought 
I  was,  for  I  had  no  fear  that  anything  was  about  to  go 
wrong. 

Just  now  I  heard  of  a  shooting-match  in  the  neighbor 
hood,  right  between  where  I  lived  and  my  girl's  house ; 
and  I  determined  to  kill  two  birds  with  one  stone — to  go 
to  the  shooting-match  first,  and  then  to  see  her.  I  there 
fore  made  the  Quaker  believe  I  was  going  to  hunt  for 
deer,  as  they  were  pretty  plenty  about  in  those  parts ; 
but,  instead  of  hunting  them,  I  went  straight  on  to  the 
shooting-match,  where  I  joined  in  with  a  partner,  and  we 
put  in  several  shots  for  the  beef.  I  was  mighty  luckyf 


DAVID  GETS   JILTED.  49 

and  wh(  n  the  match  was  over,  I  had  won  the  whole  beef. 
This  was  on  a  Saturday,  and  my  success  had  put  me  in 
the  finest  humor  in  the  world.  So  I  sold  my  part  of  the 
beef  for  five  dollars  in  the  real  grit,  for  I  believe  that 
was  before  bank-notes  was  invented  ;  at  least,  I  had 
never  heard  of  any.  I  now  started  on  to  ask  for  my 
wife  ;  for,  though  the  next  Thursday  was  our  wedding- 
day,  I  had  never  said  a  word  to  her  parents  about  it.  I 
had  always  dreaded  the  undertaking  so  bad,  that  I  had 
put  the  evil  hour  off  as  long  as  possible ;  and,  indeed,  I 
calculated  they  knowed  me  so  well,  they  wouldn't  raise 
any  objection  to  having  me  for  their  son-in-law.  I  had 
a  great  deal  better  opinion  of  myself,  I  found,  than  other 
people  had  of  me  ;  but  I  moved  on  with  a  light  heart, 
and  my  five  dollars  jingling  in  my  pocket,  thinking  all 
the  time  there  was  but  few  greater  men  in  the  world  than 
myself. 

In  this  flow  of  good  humor,  I  went  ahead  till  ±  got 
within  about  two  miles  of  the  place,  when  I  concluded  I 
would  stop  awhile  at  the  house  of  the  girl's  uncle,  where 
I  might  enquire  about  the  family,  and  so  forth,  and  so 
on.  I  was,  indeed,  just  about  ready  to  consider  her  un 
cle  my  uncle  ;  and  her  affairs,  my  affairs.  When  I  went 
in,  tho',  I  found  her  sister  there.  I  asked  how  all  was 
at  home  ?  In  a  minute  I  found  from  her  countenance 
something  was  wrong.  She  looked  mortified,  and  didn't 
answer  as  quick  as  I  thought  she  ought,  being  it  was  her 
Irother-in-law  talking  to  her.  However,  I  asked  her 
a^ain.  She  then:  burst  into  tears,  and  told  me  her  sister 
was  going  to  deceive  me ;  and  that  she  was  to  be  mar 
ried  to  another  man  the  next  day.  This  was  as  sudden 
4 


50  DAVID  SICK  AT  HEART. 

to  me  as  a  clap  of  thunder  of  a  bright,  sunshiny  day.  Il 
was  the  capstone  of  all  the  afflictions  I  had  ever  net 
with ;  and  it  seemed  to  me  that  it  was  more  than  any 
human  creature  could  endure.  It  struck  me  perfectly 
speechless  for  some  time,  and  made  me  feel  so  weak  that 
I  thought  I  should  sink  down.  I,  however,  recovered 
from  my  shock  after  a  little,  and  rose  and  started  with 
out  any  ceremony,  or  even  bidding  anybody  good-bye. 
The  young  woman  followed  me  out  to  the  gate,  and  en 
treated  me  to  go  on  to  her  father's,  and  said  she  would 
go  with  me.  She  said  the  young  man  who  was  going  to 
marry  her  sister,  had  got  his  license  and  asked  for  her ; 
but  she  assured  me  her  father  and  mother  both  preferred 
me  to  him  ;  and  that  she  had  no  doubt  but  that,  if  I 
would  go  on,  I  could  break  off  the  match.  But  I  found 
that  I  could  go  no  further.  My  heart  was  bruised,  and 
my  spirits  were  broken  down ;  so  I  bid  her  farewell,  and 
turned  my  lonesome  and  miserable  steps  back  again 
homeward,  concluding  that  I  was  only  born  for  hard 
ships,  misery,  and  disappointment.  I  now  began  to 
think .  that,  in  making  me,  it  was  entirely  forgotten  to 
make  my  mate ;  that  I  was  born  odd,  and  should  always 
remain  so,  and  that  nobody  would  have  me. 

But  all  these  reflections  did  not  satisfy  my  mind,  for 
I  had  no  peace  day  nor  night  for  several  weeks.  My 
appetite  failed  me,  and  I  grew  daily  worse  and  worse. 
They  all  thought  I  was  sick  ;  and  so  I  was-  And  it  was 
the  wcrst  kind  of  sickness, — a  sickness  of  the  heart, 
»fid  all  the  tender  parts,  produced  by  disappointed  lo?e. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

Crockett  goes  a  hunting — The  Dutch  widow — Ugly  daughter — Crook 
ett  goes  to  a  reaping — The  old  Irish  woman — Crockett  dances  with 
her  daughter — Makes  love  to  her — A  rival — Crockett  lost  in  the 
woods — Meets  his  lady-love — Opposition  of  her  mother  to  the  mar 
riage — Crockett  married — Mother-in-law  reconciled — Two  guna 
born — Removal  to  Lincoln  county — Removal  to  Franklin  couhty. 

I  CONTINUED  in  this  down-spirited  situation  for  a  good 
long  time,  until  one  day  I  took  my  rifle  and  started  a 
hunting.  While  out,  I  made  a  call  at  the  house  of  a  Dutch 
widow,  who  had  a  daughter  that  was  well  enough  as  to 
smartness,  but  she  was  as  ugly  as  a  stone  fence.  She 
was,  however,  quite  talkative,  and  soon  began  to  laugh 
at  me  about  my  disappointment. 

She  seemed  disposed,  though,  to  comfort  me  as  much 
as  she  could ;  and,  for  that  purpose,  told  me  to  keep  in 
good  heart,  that  "  there  was  as  good  fish  in  the  sea  as 
had  ever  been,  caught  out  of  it."  I  doubted  this  very 
much ;  but  whether  or  not,  I  was  certain  that  she  was 
not  one  of  them,  for  she  was  so  homely  that  it  almost 
gave  me  a  pain  in  the  eyes  to  look  at  her. 

But  I  couldn't  help  thinking  that  she  had  intended 
what  she  had  said  as  a  banter  for  me  to  court  her ! !  I— 
the  last  thing  in  creation  I  could  have  thought  of  doing. 
I  felt  little  inclined  to  talk  on  the  subject,  it  is  true ; 
but,  to  pass  off  the  time,  I  told  her  I  thought  I  was  born 

(51) 


52  THE   OLD   IRISH   WOMAN. 

•dd,  and  that  no  fellow  to  me  could  be  found.  She 
protested  against  this,  and  said  if  I  would  come  to  their 
reaping,  which  was  not  far  off,  she  would  show  me  one 
of  the  prettiest  little  girls  there  I  had  ever  seen.  She 
ad  led  that  the  one  who  had  deceived  me  was  nothing  to 
be  compared  with  her.  I  didn't  believe  a  word  of  all 
this,  for  I  had  thought  that  such  a  piece  of  flesh  and 
blood  as  she  was  had  never  been  manufactured,  and  never 
would  again.  I  agreed  with  her,  though,  that  the  little 
varment  had  treated  me  so  bad,  that  I  ought  to  forget 
her,  and  yet  I  couldn't  do  it.  I  concluded  the  best  way 
to  accomplish  it  was  to  cut  out  again,  and  see  if  I  could 
find  any  other  that  would  answer  me ;  and  so  I  told  the 
Dutch  girl  that  I  would  be  at  the  reaping,  and  would 
bring  as  many  as  I  could  with  me. 

I  employed  my  time  pretty  generally  in  giving  infor 
mation  of  it,  as  far  as  I  could,  until  the  day  came  ;  and 
I  then  offered  to  work  for  my  old  friend,  the  Quaker, 
two  days,  if  he  would  let  his  bound  boy  go  with  me  one 
to  the  reaping.  He  refused,  and  reproved  me  pretty 
considerable  roughly  for  my  proposition  ;  and  said,  if  he 
was  in  my  place  he  wouldn't  go ;  that  there  would  be  a 
great  deal  of  bad  company  there ;  and  that  I  had  been 
BO  good  a  boy,  he  would  be  sorry  for  me  to  get  a  bad 
name.  But  I  knowed  my  promise  to  the  Dutch  girl,  and 
I  was  resolved  to  fulfil  it ;  so  I  shouldered  my  rifle,  and 
started  by  myself.  When  I  got  to  the  place,  I  found  a 
large  company  of  men  and  women,  and  among  them  an 
old  Irish  woman,  who  had  a  great  deal  to  say.  I  soon 
found  out  from  my  Dutch  girl,  that  this  old  lady  was 
the  mother  of  the  little  girl  she  had  promised  me,  though 


THE   HEAPING   FROLIC.  58 

1  had  not  yet  seen  her.  She  was  in  an  out-house  with 
some  other  youngsters,  and  bad  not  yet  made  her  ap 
pearance.  Her  mamma,  however,  was  no  way  bashful. 
She  came  up  to  me,  and  began  to  praise  my  red  cheeks, 
and  said  she  had  a  sweetheart  for  me.  I  had  no  doubt 
she  had  been  told  what  I  come  for,  and  all  about  it.  In 
the  evening  I  was  introduced  to  her  daughter,  and  I 
must  confess  I  was  plaguy  well  pleased  with  her  from 
the  word  go.  She  had  a  good  countenance,  and  was 
very  pretty,  and  I  was  full  bent  on  making  up  an 
acquaintance  with  her. 

It  was  not  long  before  the  dancing  commenced,  and 
I  asked  her  to  join  me  in  a  reel.  She  very  readily  con 
sented  to  do  so ;  and  after  we  had  finished  our  dance,  I 
took  a  seat  alongside  of  her,  and  entered  into  a  talk 
I  found  her  very  interesting ;  while  I  was  sitting  by  her, 
making  as  good  a  use  of  my  time  as  I  could,  her  mother 
came  to  us,  and  very  jocularly  called  me  her  son-in-law. 
This  rather  confused  me,  but  I  looked  on  it  as  a  joke  of 
the  old  lady,  and  tried  to  turn  it  off  as  well  as  I  could; 
but  I  took  care  to  pay  as  much  attention  to  her  through 
the  evening  as  I  could.  I  went  on  the  old  saying,  of 
salting  the  cow  to  catch  the  calf.  I  soon  become  so 
much  pleased  with  this  little  girl,  that  I  began  to  think 
the  Dutch  girl  had  told  me  the  truth,  when  she  said  there 
was  still  good  fish  in  the  sea. 

We  continued  our  frolic  till  near  day,  when  we  joined 
in  some  plays,  calculated  to  amuse  youngsters.  I  had 
not  often  spent  a  more  agreeable  night.  In  the  morn 
ing,  however,  we  all  had  to  part ;  and  I  found  my  mind 
had  become  much  better  reconciled  than  it  had  been  for 


64  NEW   LOVE  AFFAIR. 

a  Song  time.  I  went  home  to  the  Quaker's,  and  made 
a  bargain  to  work  with  his  son  for  a  low-priced  horse. 
He  was  the  first  one  I  had  ever  owned,  and  I  was  to 
work  six  months  for  him.  I  had  been  engaged  very 
cbsely  five  or  six  weeks,  when  this  little  girl  run  in  my 
mind  so,  that  I  concluded  I  must  go  and  see  her,  and 
find  out  what  sort  of  people  they  were  at  home.  I 
mounted  my  horse  and  away  I  went  to  where  she  lived, 
and  when  I  got  there  I  found  her  father  a  very  clever 
old  man,  and  the  old  woman  as  talkative  as  ever.  She 
wanted  badly  to  find  out  all  about  me,  and  as  I  thought, 
to  see  how  I  would  do  for  her  girl.  I  had  not  yet  seen 
her  about,  and  I  began  to  feel  some  anxiety  to  know 
where  she  was. 

In  a  short  time,  however,  my  impatience  was  relieved, 
as  she  arrived  at  home  from  a  meeting  to  which  she  had 
been.  There  was  a  young  man  with  her,  who  I  soon 
found  was  disposed  to  set  up  claim  to  her,  as  he  was  so 
attentive  to  her  that  I  could  hardly  get  to  slip  in  a  word 
edgeways.  I  began  to  think  I  was  barking  up  the 
wrong  tree  again ;  but  I  was  determined  to  stand  up  to 
my  rack,  fodder  or  no  fodder.  And  so,  to  know  her 
mind  a  little  on  the  subject,  I  began  to  talk  about  start 
ing,  as  I  knowed  she  would  then  show  some  sign,  from 
which  I  could  understand  which  way  the  wind  blowed. 
tt  was  then  near  night,  and  my  distance  was  fifteen 
miles  home.  At  this  my  little  girl  soon  began  to  indi 
cate  to  the  other  gentleman  that  his  room  would  be  the 
better  part  of  his  company.  At  length  she  left  him, 
and  came  to  me,  and  insisted  mighty  hard  that  I  should 
not  go  that  evening ;  and,  indeed,  from  all  her  actions 


A   RIVAL.  56 

and  the  attempts  she  made  to  get  rid  of  him,  I  saw  that 
she  preferred  me  all  holler.  But  it  wasn't  long  before 
I  found  trouble  enough  in  another  quarter.  Her  mother 
was  deeply  enlisted  for  my  rival,  and  I  had  to  fight 
against  her  influence  as  well  as  his.  But  the  girl  her 
self  was  the  prize  I  was  fighting  for ;  and  as  she  wel 
comed  me,  I  was  determined  to  lay  siege  to  her,  let  what 
would  happen.  I  commenced  a  close  courtship,  having 
cornered  her  from  her  old  beau ;  while  he  set  off,  looking 
on,  like  a  poor  man  at  a  country  frolic,  and  all  the  time 
almost  gritting  his  teeth  with  pure  disappointment. 
But  he  didn't  dare  to  attempt  anything  more,  for  now  I 
had  gotten  a  start,  and  I  looked  at  him  every  once  in  a 
while  as  fierce  as  a  wild-cat.  I  staid  with  her  until 
Monday  morning,  and  then  I  put  out  for  home. 

It  was  about  two  weeks  after  this  that  I  was  sent  for 
to  engage  in  a  wolf  hunt,  where  a  great  number  of  men 
were  to  meet,  with  their  dogs  and  guns,  and  where  the 
best  sort  of  sport  was  expected.  I  went  as  large  as  life, 
but  I  had  to  hunt  in  strange  woods,  and  in  a  part  of  the 
country  which  was  very  thinly  inhabited.  While  I  was 
out  it  clouded  up,  and  I  began  to  get  scared;  and  in  a 
little  while  I  was  so  much  so,  that  I  didn't  know  which 
way  home  was,  nor  anything  about  it.  I  set  out  the  way 
I  thought  it  was,  but  it  turned  out  with  me,  as  it  always 
does  with  a  lost  man,  I  was  wrong,  and  took  exactly  the 
contrary  direction  from  the  right  one.  And  for  the  in 
formation  of  young  hunters,  I  will  just  say,  in  this  place, 
that  whenever  a  fellow  gets  bad  lost,  the  way  home  is 
just  the  way  he  don't  think  it  is.  This  rule  will  hit  nine 
times  out  of  ten.  I  went  ahead,  though,  about  six  or 


56  LOST   IN  THE  WOODS. 

seven  miles,  when  I  found  night  was  coming  on  fast ;  bu1 
at  this  distressing  time  I  saw  a  little  woman  streaking  il 
along  through  the  woods  like  all  wrath,  and  so  I  cut  on 
too,  for  I  was  determined  I  wouldn't  lose  sight  of  her 
that  night  any  more.  I  run  on  till  she  saw  me,  and  she 
stopped;  for  she  was  as  glad  to  see  me  as  I  was  to  see 
her,  as  she  was  lost  as  well  as  me.  When  I  came  up  to 
her,  who  should  she  be  but  my  little  girl,  that  I  had 
been  paying  my  respects  to?  She  had  been  out  hunting 
her  father's  horses,  and  had  missed  her  way,  and  had  no 
knowledge  where  she  was,  or  how  far  it  was  to  any  house, 
or  what  way  would  take  us  there.  She  had  been  travel 
ing  all  day,  and  was  mighty  tired;  and  I  would  have 
taken  her  up,  and  toated  her,  if  it  hadn't  been  that  I 
wanted  her  just  where  I  could  see  her  all  the  time,  for 
I  thought  she  looked  sweeter  than  sugar ;  and  by  thia 
time  I  loved  her  almost  well  enough  to  eat  her. 

At  last  I  came  to  a  path,  that  I  know'd  must  go  some 
where,  and  so  we  followed  it,  till  we  came  to  a  h6use,  at 
about  dark.  Here  we  staid  all  night.  I  sat  up  all  night 
courting,  and  in  the  morning  we  parted.  She  went  to 
her  home,  from  which  we  were  distant  about  seven  miles, 
and  I  to  mine,  which  was  ten  miles  off. 

I  now  turned  in  to  work  again;  and  it  was  about  foui 
weeks  before  I  went  back  to  see  her.  I  continued  tc  go 
occasionally,  until  I  had  worked  long  enough  to  pay  for 
my  horse,  by  putting  in  my  gun  with  my  work,  to  Xhe 
man  I  had  purchased  from ;  and  then  I  began  to  count 
whether  I  was  to  be  deceived  again  or  not.  At  our  next 
meeting,  we  set  the  day  for  our  wedding;  and  I  went  to 
my  fathei  's  to  make  arrangements  for  an  infair,  and  re- 


OPPOSITION.  .  57 

fcuraeJ  to  ask  her  parents  for  her.  When  I  got  there, 
the  old  lady  appeared  to  be  mighty  wrathy ;  and  "when  I 
broached  the  subject,  she  looked  at  me  as  savage  as  a 
meat  axe.  The  old  man  appeared  quite  willing,  and 
treated  me  very  clever.  But  I  hadn't  been  there  long, 
before  the  old  woman  as  good  as  ordered  me  out  of  her 
house.  I  thought  I  would  put  her  in  mind  of  old  times, 
and  see  how  that  would  go  with  her.  I  told  her  she  had 
called  me  her  son-in-law  before  I  had  attempted  to  call 
her  my  mother-in-law,  and  I  thought  sne  ought  to  cool 
off.  But  her  Irish  was  up  too  high  to  do  anything  with 
her,  and  so  I  quit  trying.  All  I  cared  for,  was  to  have 
her  daughter  on  my  side,  which  I  knowed  was  the  case 
then;  but  how  soon  some  other  fellow  might  knock  my 
nose  out  of  joint  again,  I  couldn't  tell.  I,  however,  felt 
rather  insulted  at  the  old  lady,  and  I  thought  I  wouldn't 
get  married  in  her  house.  And  so  I  told  her  girl,  that 
I  would  come  the  next  Thursday,  and  bring  a  horse, 
bridle,  and  saddle  for  her,  and  she  must  be  ready  to  go. 
Her  mother  declared  I  shouldn't  have  her ;  but  I  know'd 
I  should,  if  somebody  else  didn't  get  her  before  Thurs 
day.  I  then  started,  bidding  them  good  day,  and  went 
by  the  house  of  a  justice  of  the  peace,  who  lived  on  the 
way  to  my  father's,  and  made  a  bargain  with  him  to 
marry  me. 

When  Thursday  came,  all  necessary  arrangements 
were  made  at  my  father's  to  receive  my  wife;  and  so  .1 
took  my  eldest  brother  and  his  wife,  and  another  brother, 
and  a  single  sister  that  I  had,  and  two  other  young  men 
with  me,  and  cut  out  to  her  father's  house  to  get  her. 
We  went  on,  until  we  got  within  two  miles  of  the  place, 


58  .CROCKETT'S  MARRIAGE. 

where  we  met  a  large  company  that  had  heard  of  the 
wedding,  and  were  waiting.  Some  of  that  company 
went  on  with  my  brother  and  sister,  and  the  young  man 
I  had  picked  out  to  wait  on  me.  When  they  got  there, 
they  found  the  old  lady  as  wrathy  as  ever.  However, 
the  old  man  filled  their  bottle,  and  the  young  men  re 
turned  in  a  hurry.  I  then  went  on  with  my  company, 
and  when  I  arrived  I  never  pretended  to  dismount  from 
my  horse,  but  rode  up  to  the  door,  and  asked  the  girl  if 
she  was  ready ;  and  she  said  she  was.  I  then  told  her  to 
light  on  the  horse  I  was  leading;  and  she  did  so.  Her 
father,  though,  had  gone  out  to  the  gate,  and  when  I 
started,  he  commenced  persuading  me  to  stay  and  marry 
there ;  that  he  was  entirely  willing  to  the  match,  and 
that  his  wife,  like  most  women,  had  entirely  too  much 
tongue  ;  but  that  I  oughtn't  to  mind  her.  I  told  him 

o        •  o 

if  she  would  ask  me  to  stay  and  marry  at  her  house,  1 
would  do  so.  With  that  he  sent  for  her,  and  after  they 
hud  talked  for  some  time  out  by  themselves,  she  came  to 
me  and  looked  at  me  mighty  good,  and  asked  my  pardon 
for  what  she  had  said,  and  invited  me  to  stay.  She  said 
it  was  the  first  child  she  ever  had  to  marry;  and  she 
couldn't  bear  to  see  her  go  off  in  that  way;  that  if  I 
would  light,  she  wrould  do  the  best  she  could  for  us.  I 
couldn't  stand  everything,  and  so  I  agreed,  and  we  got 
down,  and  went  in.  I  sent  off  then  for  my  parson,  and 
got  married  in  a  short  time;  for  I  was  afraid  to  wait 
long,  for  fear  of  another  defeat.  We  had  as  good  treat 
ment  as  could  be  expected ;  and  that  night  all  went  on 
well.  The  next  day  we  cut  out  for  my  father's,  where 
we  met  a  large  company  of  people,  that  had  been  waiting 


HOUSEKEEPING.    *  69 

a  day  and  a  night  for  our  arrival.  We  passed  the  time 
quite  merrily,  until  the  company  broke  up ;  and  having 
gotten  my  wife,  I  thought  I  was  completely  made  up, 
and  needed  nothing  more  in  the  whole  world.  But  I 
soon  found  this  was  all  a  mistake — for  now  having  a 
wife,  I  wanted  everything  else ;  and,  worse  than  all,  I 
had  nothing  to  give  for  it. 

I  remained  a  few  days  at  my  father's,  and  then  went 
back  to  my  new  father-in-law's,  where,  to  my  surprise,  1 
found  my  old  Irish  mother  in  the  finest  humor  in  the 
world. 

She  gave  us  two  likely  cows  and  calves,  which,  though 
it  was  a  small  marriage  portion,  was  still  better  than  I 
had  expected,  and,  indeed,  it  was  about  all  I  ever  got. 
I  rented  a  small  farm  and  cabin,  and  went  to  work ;  but 
[  had  much  trouble  to  find  out  a  plan  to  get  anything  to 
put  in  my  house.  At  this  time,  my  good  old  friend  the 
Quaker  came  forward  to  my  assistance,  and  gave  me  an 
order  to  a  store  for  fifteen  dollars'  worth  of  such  things 
as  my  little  wife  might  choose.  With  this,  we  fixed  up 
pretty  grand,  as  we  thought,  and  allowed  to  get  on  very 
well.  My  wife  had  a  good  wheel,  and  know'd  exactly 
how  to  use  it.  She  was  also  a  good  weaver,  as  most  of 
the  Irish  are,  whether  men  or  women;  and  being  very 
industrious  with  her  wheel,  she  had,  in  a  little  or  no 
time,  a  fine  web  of  cloth,  ready  to  make  up ;  and  she 
was  good  at  that,  too,  and  at  almost  anything  else  that 
a  woman  could  do. 

We  worked  on  for  some  years,  renting  ground  and 
paying  high  rent,  until  I  found  it  wasn't  the  thing  it  was 
cracked  up  to  be,  and  that  I  couldn't  make  a  fortune  at 


CO  REMOVALS. 

it  fast  at  all.  So  I  concluded  to  quit  it,  and  cut  out  for 
some  new  country.  In  this  time  we  had  two  sons,  and 
I  found  I  was  better  at  increasing  my  family  than  my 
fortune.  It  was,  therefore,  the  more  necessary  that  I 
should  hunt  some  better  place  to  get  along ;  and  as  I 
knowed  I  would  have  to  move  at  some  time,  I  thought  it 
was  better  to  do  it  before  my  family  got  too  large,  that 
I  might  have  less  to  carry. 

The  Duck  and  Elk  river  country  was  just  beginning  to 
settle,  and  I  determined  to  try  that.  I  had  now  one  old 
horse,  and  a  couple  of  two  year  old  colts.  They  were 
both  broke  to  the  halter,  and  my  father-in-law  proposed, 
that  if  I  went,  he  would  go  with  me,  and  take  one  horso 
to  help  me  move.  So  we  all  fixed  up,  and  I  packed  my 
two  colts  with  as  many  of  my  things  as  they  could  bear; 
and  away  we  went  across  the  mountains.  We  got  on 
well  enough,  and  arrived  safely  in  Lincoln  county,  on  the 
head  of  the  Mulberry  fork  of  Elk  river.  I  found  this  a  very 
rich  country,  and  so  new  that  game  of  different  sorts  was 
very  plenty.  It  was  here  that  I  began  to  distinguish  myself 
as  a  hunter,  and  to  lay  the  foundation  for  all  my  future 
greatness  ;  but  mighty  little  did  I  know  of  what  sort  it 
was  going  to  be.  Of  deer  and  smaller  game  I  killed 
abundance ;  but  the  bear  had  been  much  hunted  in  those 
parts  before,  and  were  not  so  plenty  as  I  could  have 
•wished.  I  lived  here  in  the  years  1809  and  '10,  to  the 
best  of  my  recollection,  and  then  I  moved  to  Franklin 
county,  and  settled  on  Beans  creek,  where  I  remained 
till  after  the  close  of  the  last  war. 


CHAPTER  V 

The  Creek  War — Massacre  at  Fort  Mimms — Crockett  volunteer*— 
Joins  Captain  Jones'  Company  of  Mounted  \rolunteers — Beaty'a 
Spring — Major  Gibson — Crockett  goes  out  as  a  Scout  with  George 
Russell — Scouting  Adventures — Crockett  returns,  and  reports  to 
General  Coffee — Express  sent  to  General  Jackson — His  arrival  in 
camp. 

I  WAS  living  ten  miles  below  Winchester  when  the 
Creek  war  commenced  :  and  as  military  men  are  making 
so  much  fuss  in  the  world  at  this  time,  I  must  give  an 
account  of  the  part  I  took  in  the  defence  of  the  country. 
If  it  should  make  me  President,  why  I  can't  help  it ; 
such  things  will  sometimes  happen,  and  my  pluck  is, 
never  to  "seek  nor  decline  office." 

It  is  true,  I  had  a  little  rather  not ;  but  yet,  if  the 
government  can't  get  on  without  taking  another  Presi 
dent  from  Tennessee,  to  finish  the  work  of  "  retrench 
ment  and  reform,"  why,  then,  I  reckon  I  must  go  in  for 
it.  But  I  must  begin  about  the  war,  and  leave  the  other 
matter  for  the  people  to  begin  on. 

The  Creek  Indians  had  commenced  their  open  hostili 
ties  by  a  most  bloody  butchery  at  Fort  Mimms.*  There 
had  been  no  war  among  us  for  so  long,  that  but  few  who 

*  This  terrible  disaster  took  place  on  the  30th  of  August,  1813    II 

H  particularly  described  in  the  7th  chapter  of  this  work. 

(61) 


62  CRvCKETT  JOINS   JACKSON'S   ARMY. 

were  not  too  old  to  bear  arms,  knew  anything  about  the 
business.  I,  for  one,  had  often  thought  about  war,  and 
had  often  heard  it  described  ;  and  I  did  verily  belie  vein 
my  own  mind,  that  I  couldn't  fight  in  that  way  at  all ; 
I  ut  my  after  experience  convinced  me  that  this  was  all  a 
notion.  For,  when  I  heard  of  the  mischief  which  wag 
djne  at  the  fort,  I  instantly  felt  like  going,  and  I  had 
none  of  the  dread  of  dying  that  I  expected  to  feel.  In 
a  few  days,  a  general  meeting  of  the  militia  was  called. 
for  the  purpose  of  raising  volunteers  ;  and  when  the  day 
arrived  for  that  meeting,  my  wife,  who  had  heard  me  say 
I  meant  to  go  to  the  war,  began  to  beg  me  not  to  turn 
out.  She  said  she  was  a  stranger  in  the  parts  where  we 
lived,  had  no  connections  living  near  her,  and  that  she 
and  our  little  children  would  be  left  in  a  lonesome  and 
unhappy  situation  if  I  went  away.  It  was  mighty  hard 
to  go  against  such  arguments  as  these ;  but  my  country 
men  had  been  murdered,  and  I  knew  that  the  next  thing 
would  be  that  the  Indians  would  be  scalping  the  women 
and  children  all  about  there,  if  we  didn't  put  a  stop  to 
it.  I  reasoned  the  case  with  her  as  well  as  I  could,  and 
told  her  that  if  every  man  would  wait  till  his  wife  got 
willing  for  him  to  go  to  war,  there  would  be  no  fighting 
done,  until  we  would  all  be  killed  in  our  own  houses ; 
that  I  was  as  able  to  go  as  any  man  in  the  worl  I,  and 
that  I  believed  it  was  a  duty  I  owed  to  my  country. 
Whether  she  was  satisfied  with  this  reasoning  or  not,  she 
did  not  tell  me,  but  seeing  I  was  bent  on  it,  all  she  did 
was  to  cry  a  little,  and  turn  about  to  her  work.  The 
truth  is,  my  dander  was  up,  and  nothing  but  war  could 
bring  it  right  again. 


CAPTAIN  JONES.  63 

I  went  to  Winchester,  where  the  muster  was  to  be,  and 
a  great  many  people  had  collected,  for  there  was  as  much 
fuss  among  the  people  about  the  war  as  there  is  now 
about  moving  the  deposites.  When  the  men  were  pa 
raded,  a  lawyer  by  the  name  of  Jones  addressed  us,  and 
closed  by  turning  out  himself,  and  enquiring  at  the  same 
time,  who  among  us  felt  like  we  could  fight  the  Indians  : 
This  was  the  same  Mr.  Jones  who  afterwards  served  in 
Congress,  from  the  State  of  Tennessee.  He  informed 
us  he  wished  to  raise  a  company,  and  that  then  the  men 
should  meet  and  elect  their  own  officers.  I  believe  I  was 
about  the  second  or  third  man  that  stepp'd  out ;  but  on 
marching  up  and  down  the  regiment  a  few  times,  we  found 
we  had  a  large  company.  We  volunteered  for  sixty  days, 
as  it  was  supposed  our  services  would  not  be  longer 
wanted.  A  day  or  two  after  this,  we  met  and  elected 
Mr.  Jones  our  captain,  and  also  elected  our  other  officers. 
We  then  received  orders  to  start  on  the  next  Monday 
week ;  before  which  time  I  had  fixed  as  well  as  I  could 
to  go,  and  my  wife  had  equipp'd  me  as  well  as  she  was 
able  for  the  camp.  The  time  arrived  ;  I  took  a  parting 
farewell  of  my  wife  and  my  little  boys,  mounted  my 
horse,  and  set  sail  to  join  my  company.  Expecting  to 
be  gone  only  a  short  time,  I  took  no  more  clothing  with 
me  than  I  supposed  would  be  necessary,  so  that  if  I  got 
into  an  Indian  battle,  I  might  not  be  pestered  with  any 
unnecessary  plunder  to  prevent  my  having  a  fair  shake 
with  them.  We  all  met  and  went  ahead,  till  we  pissed 
Iluntsville,  and  camped  at  a  large  spring  called  Beaty's 
spring.  Here  we  staid  for  several  days,  in  which  time 
the  troops  began  to  collect  from  all  quarters.  At  last 


64  MAJOR   QIBSON. 

we  mustered  about  thirteen  hundred  strong,  all  mourted 
volunteers,  and  all  determined  to  fight,  judging  from  ray- 
self,  for  I  felt  wolfish  all  over.  I  verily  believe  the  wbole 
army  was  of  the  real  grit.  Our  captain  didn't  want  «ny 
other  sort :  and  to  try  them  he  several  times  told  his 
men  that  if  any  of  them  wanted  to  go  back  home,  they 
might  do  so  at  any  time  before  they  were  regularly  mus 
tered  into  the  service.  But  he  had  the  honor  to  c^m- 
mand  all  his  men  from  first  to  last,  as  not  one  of  t>  em 
left  him. 

General  Jackson  had  not  yet  left  Nashville  with  his 
old  foot  volunteers,  that  had  gone  with  him  to  Natchez 
in  1812,  the  year  before.  While  we  remained  at  the 
spring,  a  Major  Gibson  came,  and  wanted  some  volun 
teers  to  go  with  him  across  the  Tennessee  river  and  kite 
the  Crrek  nation,  to  find  out  the  movements  of  th'  In 
dians.  He  came  to  my  captain,  and  asked  for  tvo  of 
his  be&k  woodsmen,  and  such  as  were  best  with  a  rifle. 
The  captain  pointed  me  out  to  him,  and  said  he  woi/ld  be 
security  that  I  would  go  as  far  as  the  major  would  him 
self,  or  any  other  man.  I  willingly  engaged  to  go  with 
him,  and  asked  him  to  let  me  choose  my  own  mate  to  go 
with  me,  which  he  said  I  might  do.  I  chose  a  young 
man  by  the  name  of  George  Russel,  a  son  of  old  Major 
Ilussel,  of  Tennessee.  I  called  him  up,  but  Major  Gibson 
said  he  thought  he  hadn't  beard  enough  to  please  him, 
— he  wanted  men,  and  not  boys.  I  must  confess  I  was 
a  little  nettled  at  this;  for  I  know'd  George  Russol,  and 
I  know'd  there  was  no  mistake  in  him ;  and  I  didn't 
think  that  courage  ought  to  be  measured  by  the  beard, 
for  fear  a  goat  would  have  the  preference  over  a  man.  I 


SCOUTING  ADVENTURES.  65 

told  tLo  majjor  he  was  on  the  wrong  scent ;  that  Russel 
could  go  as  far  as  he  could,  and  I  must  have  him  along. 
fie  saw  I  was  a  little  wrathy,  and  said  I  had  the  best 
chance  of  knowing,  and  agreed  that  it  should  be  as  I 
wanted  it.  He  told  us  to  be  ready  early  in  the  morning  for 
a  start ;  and  so  we  were.  We  took  our  camp  equipage, 
mounted  our  horses,  and  thirteen  in  number,  including 
the  major,  we  cut  out.  We  went  on  and  crossed  the- 
Tennessee  river  at  a  place  called  Ditto's  Landing ;  and 
then  travelled  about  seven  miles  further,  and  took  up 
camp  for  the  night.  Here  a  man  by  the  name  of  John 
Haynes  overtook  us.  He  had  been  an  Indian  trader  in 
that  part  of  the  nation,  and  was  well  acquainted  with 
it.  He  went  with  us  as  a  pilot.  The  next  morning,  how 
ever,  Major  Gibson  and  myself  concluded  we  should  sepa 
rate  and  take  different  directions  to  see  what  discoveries 
we  could  make ;  so  he  took  seven  of  the  men,  and  I  five, 
making  thirteen  in  all,  including  myself.  He  was  to  go 
by  the  house  of  a  Cherokee  Indian,  named  Dick  Brown, 
and  I  was  to  go  by  Dick's  father's  ;  and  getting  all  the 
information  we  could,  we  were  to  meet  that  evening  where 
the  roads  came  together,  fifteen  miles  the  other  side  of 
Brown's.  At  old  Mr.  Brown's  I  got  a  half  blood  Chero 
kee  to  agree  to  go  with  me,  whose  name  was  Jack 
Thompson.  He  was  not  then  ready  to  start,  but  was  to 
fix  that  evening,  and  overtake  us  at  the  fork  road  where 
I  was  to  meet  Major  Gibson.  I  know'd  it  wouldn't  be 
safe  to  camp  right  at  the  road ;  and  so  I  told  Jack,  that 
vrhen  he  got  to  the  fork  he  must  holler  like  an  owl,  and 
I  would  answer  him  in  the  same  way ;  for  I  know'd  it 
would  be  night  before  he  got  there.  I  and  my  men  then 


66  SCOUTING   ADVENTURES. 

started,  and  went  on  to  the  place  of  meeting,  but  Major 
(ribson  was  not  there.  We  waited  till  almost  dark  but 
still  he  didn't  come.  We  then  left  the  Indian  trace  a 
little  distance  and  turning  into  the  head  of  a  hollow,  we 
struck  up  camp.  It  was  about  ten  o'clock  at  night  when 
I  heard  my  owl,  and  I  answered  him.  Jack  soon,  found 
us.  and  we  determined  to  rest  there  during  the  night. 
We  staid  also  next  morning  till  after  breakfast :  but  IP 
vain,  for  the  major  didn't  still  come. 

I  told  the  men  we  had  set  out  to  hunt  a  fight,  and  I 
wouldn't  go  back  in  that  way ;  that  we  must  go  ahead, 
and  see  what  the  red  men  were  at.  We  started  and 
went  to  a  Cherokee  town  about  twenty  miles  off;  and 
after  a  short  stay  there,  we  pushed  on  to  the  house  of  a 
man  by  the  name  of  Radcliff.  He  was  a  white  man,  but 
had  married  a  Creek  woman,  and  lived  just  in  the  edge 
of  the  Creek  nation;  He  had  two  sons,  large  likely  fel 
lows,  and  a  great  deal  of  potatoes  and  corn,  and,  indeed, 
almost  every  thing  else  to  go  on  ;  so  we  fed  our  horses 
and  got  dinner  with  him,  and  seemed  to  be  doing  mighty 
well.  But  he  was  bad  scared  all  the  time.  He  told  us 
that  there  had  been  ten  painted  warriors  at  his  house 
only  an  hour  before,  and  if  we  were  discovered  there, 
they  would  kill  us  and  his  family  with  us.  I  replied  to 
him,  that  my  business  was  to  hunt  for  just  such  fellows 
as  he  had  described,  and  I  was  determined  not  to  go  back 
until  I  had  done  it.  Our  dinner  being  over,  we  saddle  I 
up  our  horses,  and  made  ready  to  start.  But  some  of 
my  small  company  I  found  were  disposed  to  return.  I 
told  them,  if  we  were  to  go  back  then,  we  should  never 
hear  the  last  of  it ;  and  I  was  determined  to  go  ahea/L 


THE   NEGRO.  67 

I  knowed  some  of  them  would  go  with  me,  and  that  the 
rest  were  afraid  to  go  back  by  themselves ;  and  so  we 
pushed  on  to  the  camp  of  some  friendly  Creeks,  which 
was  distant  about  eight  miles.  The  moon  was  about  the 
full,  and  the  night  was  clear;  we  therefore  had  the 
benefit  of  her  light  from  night  to  morning,  and  I  knew 
if  we  were  placed  in  such  danger  as  to  make  a  retreat 
necessary,  we  could  travel  by  night  as  well  as  in  the  day 
time. 

We  had  not  got  very  far  when  we  met  two  negroes, 
well  mounted  on  Indian  ponies,  and  each  with  a  good 
rifle.  They  had  been  taken  from  their  owners  by  the 
Indians,  and  were  running  away  from  them,  and  trying 
to  get  back  to  their  masters  again.  They  were  brothers, 
both  very  large  and  likely  :  and  could  talk  Ii  dian  as  well 
as  English.  One  of  them  I  sent  on  to  Dittc  's  Landing, 
the  other  I  took  back  with  me.  It  was  aftei  dark  when 
we  got  to  the  camp,  where  we  found  about  forty  men,; 
women,  and  children. 

They  had  bows  and  arrows,  and  I  turned  in  to  shoot 
ing  with  their  boys  by  a  pine  light.  In  this  way  we 
amused  ourselves  very  well  for  a  while,  but  at  last  the 
negro,  who  had  been  talking  to  the  Indians,  came  to  me 
and  told  me  they  were  very  much  alarmed,  for  the  "  red 
sticks,"  as  they  called  the  war  party  of  the  Creeks,  would 
come  and  find  us  there;  and,  if  so,  we  should  all  be 
killed.  I  directed  him  to  tell  them  that  I  would  wa:  k, 
and  if  one  would  come  that  night,  I  would  carry  the  skin 
of  his  head  home  to  make  me  a  moccasin.  When  he 
made  this  communication,  the  Indians  laughed  aloud. 
At  about  ten  o'clock  at  night  we  all  concluded  to  try  to 


68  NIGHT   ALARM. 

Bleep  a  little ;  but  that  our  horses  might  be  ready  for  use, 
as  the  treasurer  said  of  the  drafts  on  the  United  States' 
bank,  on  certain  "contingencies,"  we  tied  them  up  with 
our  saddles  on  them,  and  every  thing  to  yur  hand,  if  in 
the  night  our  quarters  should  get  uncomfortable.  We 
lay  down  with  our  guns  in  our  arms,  and  I  had  just  gotten 
into  a  doze  of  sleep,  when  I  heard  the  sharpest  scream 
that  ever  escaped  the  throat  of  a  human  creature.  It 
was  more  like  a  wrathy  painter  than  any  thing  else. 
The  negro  understood  it,  and  he  sprang  to  me ;  for  tho* 
I  heard  the  noise  well  enough,  yet  I  wasn't  wide  awake 
enough  to  get  up.  So  the  negro  caught  me,  and  said  the 
red  sticks  was  coming.  I  rose  quicker  then,  and  asked 
what  was  the  matter  ?  Our  negro  had  gone  and  talked 
»dth  the  Indian  who  had  just  fetched  the  scream,  as  he 
came  into  camp,  and  learned  from  him,  that  the  war  party 
had  been  crossing  the  Coosa  river  all  day  at  the  Ten 
Islands ;  and  were  going  on  to  meet  Jackson,  and  this 
Indian  had  come  as  a  runner.  This  news  very  much 
alarmed  the  friendly  Indians  in  camp,  and  they  were  all 
off  in  a  few  minutes.  I  felt  bound  to  make  this  intelli 
gence  known  as  soon  as  possible  to  the  army  we  had  left 
at  the  landing  ;  and  so  we  all  mounted  our  horses,  and 
put  out  in  a  long  lope  to  make  our  way  back  to  hat 
place.  We  were  about  sixty-five  miles  off.  We  went  on 
to  the  same  Cherokee  town  we  had  visited  on  our  way 
out,  having  first  called  at  Radcliff's  who  was  off  with  his 
family ;  and  at  the  town  we  found  large  fires  burning, 
but  not  a  single  Indian  was  to  be  seen.  They  were  all 
gone.  These  circumstances  were  calculated  to  lay  our 
dander  a  little,  as  it  appeared  we  must  be  in  great  dan- 


CROCKETT  REPORTS  HIS  ADVENTURES.      4$ 

g<*r  ;  though  we  could  easily  have  licked  any  force  of  not 
more  than  five  to  one.  But  we  expected  the  whole  na 
tion  would  be  on  us,  and  against  such  fearful  odds  we 
were  not  so  rampant  for  a  fight. 

We  therefore  staid  only  a  short  time  in  the  light  of 
the  fires  about  the  town,  preferring  the  light  of  the 
moon  and  the  shade  of  the  woods.  We  pushed  on  till 
we  got  again  to  old  Mr.  Brown's,  which  was  still  about 
thirty  miles  from  where  we  had  left  the  main  army. 
When  we  got  there,  the  chickens  were  just  at  the  first 
crowing  for  day.  We  fed  our  horses,  got  a  morsel  to 
eat  ourselves,  and  again  cut  out.  About  ten  o'clock  in 
the  morning  we  reached  the  camp,  and  I  reported  to 
Col.  Coffee  the  news.  He  didn't  seem  to  mind  my 
report  a  bit,  and  this  raised  my  dander  higher  than 
ever ;  but  I  knowed  I  had  to  be  on  my  best  behaviour, 
and  so  I  kept  it  all  to  myself;  though  I  was  so  mad 
that  I  was  burning  inside  like  a  tar-kiln,  and  I  wonder 
that  the  smoke  hadn't  been  pouring  out  of  me  at  all 
points. 

Major  Gibson  hadn't  yet  returned,  and  we  all  began 
to  think  he  was  killed ;  and  that  night  they  put  out  a 
double  guard.  The  next  day  the  Major  got  in,  and 
brought  a  worse  tale  than  I  had,  though  he  stated  the 
same  facts  so  far  as  I  went.  This  seemed  to  put  our 
colonel  all  in  a  fidget ;  jand  it  convinced  me,  clearly,  of 
one  of  the  hateful  ways  of  the  world.  When  I  made 
my  report,  it  wasn't  believed,  because  I  was  no  officer : 
I  was  no-'great  man,  but  just  a  poor  soldier.  But  when 
the  same  thing  was  reported  by  Major  Gibson ! !  why, 


70  EXPRESS   TO    GENERAL   JACKSON. 

then  it  was  all  as  true  as  preaching,  and  the  colonel 
believed  it  every  word. 

He,  therefore,  ordered  breastworks  to  he  thrown  up 
near  a  quarter  of  a  mile  long,  and  sent  an  express  to 
Fayetteville,  where  General  Jackson  and  his  troops  was, 
requesting  them  to  push  on  like  the  very  mischief,  for 
fear  we  should  all  be  cooked  up  to  a  cracklin  before 
they  could  get  there.  Old  Hickory-face  made  a  forced 
march  on  getting  the  news ;  and  on  the  next  day,  he 
and  his  men  got  into  camp,  with  their  feet  all  blistered 
from  the  effects  of  their  swift  journey.  The  volunteers, 
therefore,  stood  guard  altogether,  to  let  them  rest. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

Crockett  sent  off  with  a  detachment — Burning  of  Black  Warrior's 
town — Crockett  goes  a  hunting  to  supply  provision  for  the  detach 
ment — His  success — Rejoins  the  main~army — Battle  with  the  In 
dians — Return  to  Fort  Strother— Famine  in  the  camp — Expedi 
tion  to  Fort  Taladega — Battle  of  Taladega — Famine— Mutiny — 
Crockett  goes  home  with  the  other  volunteers — Rejoins  the  army — 
Skirmish  near  Horse  Shoe  Bend — Another  battle—  Courage  and 
skill  of  General  Carroll. 

ABOUT  eight  hundred  of  the  volunteers,  and  of  that 
number  I  was  one,  were  now  sent  back,  crossing  the 
Tennessee  river,  and  on  through  Huntsville,  so  as  to 
cross  the  river  again  at  another  place,  and  to  get  on  the 
Indians  in  another  direction.*  After  we  passed  Hunts 
ville,  we  struck  on  the  river  at  Muscle  Shoals,  and  at  a 
place  on  them  called  Melton's  Bluff.  This  river  is  here 
about  two  miles  wide,  and  a  rough  bottom ;  so  much  so, 
indeed,  in  many  places,  as  to  be  dangerous ;  and  in 
fording  it  this  time,  we  left  several  of  the  horses  be 
longing  to  our  men,  with  their  feet  fast  in  the  crevices 
of  the  rocks.  The  men,  whose  horses  were  thus  left, 
went  ahead  on  foot.  We  pushed  on  till  we  got  to  what 
was  called  the  Black  Warrior's  town,  which  stood  near 

*  This  was  in  November,  1813.     The  detachment  was  commanded 
by  General  Coffee. 

(71) 


72  BLACK  WARRIOR'S  TOWN  BURNT. 

the  very  spot  where  Tuscaloosa  now  stands,  which  is  the 
seat  of  government  for  the  State  of  Alabama. 

This  Indian  town  was  a  large  one ;  but  when  we  ar 
rived  we  found  the  Indians  had  all  left  it.  There  wa« 
a  large  field  of  corn  standing  out,  and  a  pretty  goo  a 
supply  in  some  cribs.  There  was  also  a  fine  quantity 
of  dried  beans,  which  were  very  acceptable  to  us ;  and 
without  delay  we  secured  them  as  well  as  the  corn,  and 
then  burned  the  town  to  ashes  ;  after  which  we  left  the 
place. 

In  the  field  where  we  gathere  1  the  corn  we  saw  plenty 
of  fresh  Indian  tracks,  and  we  had  no  doubt  they  had 
been  scared  off  by  our  arrival. 

We  then  went  on  to  meet  the  main  army  at  the  fork 
road,  where  I  was  first  to  have  met  Major  Gibson.  We 
got  that  evening  as  far  back  as  the  encampment  we  had 
made  the  night  before  we  reached  the  Black  Warrior's 
town,  which  we  had  just  destroyed.  The  next  day  we 
were  entirely  out  of  meat.  I  went  to  Col.  Coffee,  who 
was  then  in  command  of  us,  and  asked  his  leave  to  hunt 
as  we  marched.  He  gave  me  leave,  but  told  me  to  take 
mighty  good  care  of  myself.  I  turned  aside  to  hunt, 
and  had  not  gone"  far  when  I  found  a  deer  that  had  just 
been  killed  and  skinned,  and  his  flesh  was  still  warm 
and  smoking;  From  this  I  was  sure  that  the  Indian 
who  had  killed  it  had  been  gone  only  a  very  fcir  min 
utes  ;  and  though  I  was  never  much  in  favor  ol  Ou3 
hunter  stealing  from  another,  yet  meat  was  so  scarce  in 
camp,  that  I  thought  I  must  go  in  for  it.  So  I  just 
took  up  the  deer  on  my  horse  before  me,  and  carried  it 
on  till  night.  I  could  have  sold  it  for  almost  any  price 


CROCKETT   GOES  A  HUNTING.  78 

1  "would  have  asked ;  but  this  wasn't  my  rule,  neither 
in  peace  nor  war.  Whenever  I  had  anything,  and  sa\* 
a  fellow-being  suffering,  I  was  more  anxious  to  relievo 
him  than  to  benefit  myself.  And  this  is  one  of  the  true 
secrets  of  my  feeing  a  poor  man  to  this  day.  But  it  is 
my  way ;  and  while  it  has  often  left  me  with  an  empty 
purse,  which  is  as  near  the  devil  as  anything  else  I  have 
seen,  yet  it  has  never  left  my  heart  empty  of  consolations 
which  money  couldn't  buy,  the  consolation  of  having 
sometimes  fed  the  hungry  and  covered  the  naked. 

I  gave  all  my  deer  away,  except  a  small  part  I  kept 
for  myself,  and  just  sufficient  to  make  a  good  supper  foi 
my  mess  ;  for  meat  was  getting  to  be  a  rarity  to  us  all. 
We  had  to  live  mostly  on  parched  corn.  The  next  daj 
we  marched  on,  and  at  night  took  up  camp  near  a  large 
cane  brake.  While  here,  I  told  my  mess  I  would  again 
try  for  some  meat ;  so  I  took  my  rifle  and  cut  out,  but 
hadn't  gone  far,  when  I  discovered  a  large  gang  of  hogs. 
I  shot  one  of  them  down  in  his  tracks,  and  the  rest  broke 
directly  towards  the  camp.  In  a  few  minutes  the  guns 
began  to  roar,  as  bad  as  if  the  whole  army  had  been  in 
an  Indian  battle,  and  the  hogs  to  squeal  as  bad  as  the 
pig  did,  when  the  devil  turned  barber.  I  shouldered  my 
hog,  and  went  on  to  the  camp ;  and  when  I  got  there  I 
found  they  had  killed  a  good  many  of  the  hogs,  and  a 
tine  fat  cow  into  the  bargain,  that  had  broke  out  of  the 
cane  brake.  We  did  very  well  that  night,  and  the  next 
morning  marched  on  to  a  Cherokee  town,  where  our 
officers  'stopp'd,  and  gave  the  inhabitants  an  order  on 
Uncle  Sam  for  their  cow,  and  the  hogs  we  had  killed, 
The  next  day  we  met  th)  main  army  having  had,  as  we 


74  IMPRESSING  MEN. 

thought,  hard  times,  and  a  plenty  of  them,  though  we  had 
yet  seen  hardly  the  beginning  of  trouble. 

After  our  meeting  we  went  on  to  Radcliif 's.  where  I 
had  been  before,  while  out  as  a  spy ;  and  when  we  got 
there,  we  found  he  had  hid  all  his  provisions.  We  also 
got  into  the  secret,  that  he  was  the  very  rascal  who  had 
sent  the  runner  to  the  Indian  camp,  with  the  news  that 
the  "red  sticks"  were  crossing  at  the  Ten  Islands;  and 
that  his  object" was  to  scare  me  and  my  men  away,  and 
send  us  back  with  a  false  alarm. 

To  make  some  atonement  for  this,  we  took  the  old 
scoundrel's  two  big  sons  with  us,  and  made  them  serve  in 
the  war. 

We  then  marched  to  a  place  which  we  called  Camp 
Wills;  and  here  it  was  that  Captain  Cannon  was  pro 
moted  to  a  colonel,  and  Colonel  Coffee  to  a  general. 
We  then  marched  to  the  Ten  Islands,  on  the  Coosa  river, 
where  we  established  a  fort,  and  our  spy  companies  were 
sent  out.  They  soon  made  prisoners  of  Bob  Catala  and 
his  warriors,  and,  in  a  few  days  afterwards,  we  heard  of 
some  Indians  in  a  town  about  eight  miles  off.  So  we 
mounted  our  horses,  and  put  out  for  that  town,  under  the 
direction  of  two  friendly  Creeks  we  had  taken  for  pilots. 
We  had  also  a  Cherokee  colonel,  Dick  Brown,  and  some 
of  his  men  with  us.  When  we  got  near  the  town  we 
divided;  one  of  our  pilots  going  with  each  division. 
And  so  we  passed  on  each  side  of  the  town,  keeping  near 
to  it,  until  our  lines  met  on  the  far  side.  We  then  closed 
U}  at  both  ends,  so  as  to  surround  it  completely;  and 
then  we  sent  Captain  Hammond's  company  of  rangtrs 
to  liring  on  the  affray.  He  had  advanced  near  the  town, 


FIGHT   WITH   THE    INDIANS.  76 

when  the  Indians  saw  him,  and  they  raised  the  yell,  and 
came  running  at  him  like  so  many  red  devils.  The  main 
army  was  now  formed  in  a  hollow  square  around  the 
tovN  n,  and  they  pursued  Hammond  till  they  came  in  reach 
of  us.  We  then  ^ave  them  a  fire,  and  they  returned  it, 
and  then  ran  back  into  their  town.  We  began  to  close 
on  the  town  by  making  our  files  closer  and  closer,  and 
the  Indians  soon  saw  they  were  our  property.  So 
most  of  them  wanted  us  to  take  them  prisoners;  and 
their  squaws  and  all  would  run  and  take  hold  of  any  of 
us  they  could,  and  give  themselves  up.  I  saw  seven 
squaws  have  hold  of  one  man,  which  made  me  think  of 
the  Scriptures.  So  I  hollered  out  the  Scriptures  was 
fulfilling ;  that  there  was  seven  women  holding  to  one 
man's  coat  tail.  But  I  believe  it  was  a  hunting-shirt  all 
the  time.  We  took  them  all  prisoners  that  came  out  to 
us  in  this  way ;  but  I  saw  some  warriors  run  into  a  house 
until  I  counted  forty-six  of  them.  We  pursued  them 
until  we  got  near  the  house,  when  we  saw  a  squaw  sitting 
in  the  door,  and'she  placed  her  feet  against  the  bow  she 
had  in  her  hand,  and  then  took  an  arrow,  and,  raising 
her  feet,  she  drew  with  all  her  might,  and  let  fly  at  us, 
and  she  killed  a  man,  whose  name,  I  believe,  wap  Moore. 
He  was  a  lieutenant,  and  his  death  so  enraged  us  all, 
that  she  was  fiivd  on,  and  had  at  least  twenty  balls 
blown  through  her.  This  was  the  first  man  I  ever  saw 
killed  with  a  bow  and  arrow.  We  now  shot  them  like 
djgs;  and  then  set  the  house  on  fire,  and  burned  it  up 
with  the  forty-six  warriors  in  it.  I  recollect  seeing  a 
boy  who  was  shot  down  near  the  house.  His  arm  aLi 
thigh  was  broken,  and  he  was  so  near  the  burning  hous* 


7t)  FAMINE. 

that  the  grease  was  stewing  out  of  him.  In  this  situa< 
tion  he  was  still  trying  to  crawl  along;  but  not  a  murmur 
escaped  him,  though  he  was  only  about  twelve  years  old. 
So  sullen  is  the  Indian,  when  his  dander  is  up,  that  he 
had  sooner  die  than  make  a  noise,  or  ask  for  quarters.* 
The  number  that  we  took  prisoners,  being  added  to 
the  number  we  killed,  amounted  to  one  hundred  and 
eighty-six ;  though  I  don't  remember  the  exact  number 
of  either.  We  had  five  of  our  men  killed.  We  then 
returned  to  our  camp,  at  which  our  fort  was  erected,  arid 
known  by  the  name  of  Fort  Strother.f  No  provisions 
had  yet  reached  us,  and  we  had  now 'been  for  several 
days  on  half  rations.  However,  we  went  back  to  our 
Indian  town  on  the  next  day,  when  many  of  the  car 
casses  of  the  Indians  were  still  to  be  seen.  They  looked 
very  awful,  for  the  burning  had  not  entirely  consumed 
them,  but  given  them  a  terrible  appearance,  at  least  what 
remained  of  them.  It  was,  somehow  or  other,  found  out 
that  the  house  had  a  potato  cellar  under  it,  and  an  im 
mediate  examination  was  made,  for  we  were  all  as  hungry 
as  wolves.  We  found  a  fine  chance  of  potatoes  in  it, 
and  hunger  compelled  us  to  eat  them,  though  I  had  a 
little  rather  not,  if  I  could  have  helped  it,  for  the  oil  of 
the  Indians  we  had  burned  up  on  the  day  befoi-*,  had 
run  down  on  them,  and  they  looked  like  they  had  been 
stewed  with  fat  meat.  We  then  again  returned  to  the 
army,  and  remained  there  for  several  days,  almost  starv 
ing,  as  all  our  beef  was  gone.  We  commenced  eating 
the  beef-hides,  and  continued  to  eat  every  scrap  \ve  coulJ 
*  This  battle  is  generally  called  the  battle  of  Talluslmtcbee 
f  This  is  the  Fort  at  Ten  Islands,  referred  to  before. 


EXPEDITION  TO  FORT  TALAUEGA.         77 

lay  our  hands  on.  At  length  an  Indian  came  to  our 
guard  one  night,  and  hollered,  and  said  he  wanted  to  see 
"  Captain  Jackson."  He  was  conducted  to  the  general  s 
markee,  into  which  he  entered,  and  in  a  few  minutes  we 
received  orders  to  prepare  for  marching. 

In  an  hour  we  were  all  ready,  and  took  up  the  line  of 
march.  We  crossed  the  Coosa  river,  and  went  on  in  the 
direction  to  Fort  Taladega.  When  we  arrived  near  the 
place,  we  met  eleven  hundred  painted  warriors,  the  very 
choice  of  the  Creek  nation.  They  encamped  near  the 
fort,  and  had  informed  the  friendly  Indians  who  were  in 
it,  that  if  they  didn't  come  out,  and  fight  with  them  against 
the  whites,  they  would  take  their  fort  and  all  their  am 
munition  and  provision.  The  friendly  party  asked  three 
days  to  consider  of  it,  and  agreed  that  if  on  the  third  day 
they  didn't  come  out  ready  to  fight  with  them,  they  might 
take  their  fort.  Thus  they  put  them  off.  They  then 
immediately  started  their  runner  to  GeneraUackson,  and 
he  and  the  army  pushed  over,  as  I  have  just  before 
stated. 

The  camp  of  warriors  had  their  spies  out  and  disco 
vered  us  coming  some  time  before  we  got  to  the  fort. 
They  then  went  to  the  friendly  Indians,  and  told  them 
Captain  Jackson  was  coming,  and  had  a  great  many  fine 
horses,  and  blankets,  and  guns  and  everything  else,  and 
if  they  would  come  out  and  help  to  wThip  him  and  to  take 
his  plunder,  it  should  all  be  divided  with  those  in  the 
fort.  They  promised  that  when  Jackson  came  they 
wouid  then  come  out  and  help  to  whip  him.  It  was 
about  an  hour  by  the  sun  in  the  morning  when  we  got 
near  the  fort.  We  were  piloted  by  friendly  Indians  and 


78  BATTLE    OF   TALADEJA. 


"  as  we  had  done  on  a  former  occasion,  so  as  tc  go 
to  the  r  -ht  and  left  of  the  fort,  and,  consequently,  of 
the  wan  xors  who  were  camped  near  it.  Our  lines 
inarched  on  as  before,  till  they  met  in  front,  and  then 
closed  iii  the  rear,  forming  again  into  a  hollow  square. 
We  then  r*ent  on  old  Major  Russel  with  his  spy  company, 
to  bring  on  the  battle  ;  Captain  Evans'  company  went 
also.  \Vnen  they  got  near  the  fort,  the  top  of  it  was 
lined  Tvlrh  the  friendly  Indians,  crying  out  as  loud  as 
they  could  roar,  "  How-dy-do,  brother,  how-dy-do?" 
They  k^pt  this  up  till  Major  Russel  had  passed  by  -the 
fort,  and  was  moving  on  towards  the  warriors.  They 
were  all  painted  as  red  as  scarlet,  and  were  just  as  naked 
as  they  were  born.  They  had  concealed  themselves 
under  the  bank  of  a  branch  that  ran  partly  around  the 
fort,  in  the  manner  of  a  half  moon.  Russel  was  going 
right  into  their  circle,  for  he  couldn't  see  them,  while  the 
Indians  on  the  top  of  the  fort  were  trying  every  plan  to 
show  him  his  danger.  But  he  couldn't  understand  them. 
At  last,  two  of  them  jumped  from  it,  and  ran  and  took 
his  horse  by  the  bridle,  and  pointing  to  where  they  were, 
told  him  there  were  thousands  of  them  lying  under  the 
bank.  This  brought  them  to  a  halt,  and  about  this  mo 
ment  the  Indians  fired  on  them,  and  came  rushing  forth 
like  a  cloud  of  Egyptian  locusts,  and  screaming  like  all 
the  young  devils  had  been  turned  loose,  with  the  Did 
ilevil  of  all  at  their  head.  Russel's  company  quit  their 
horses  and  took  into  the  fort,  and  their  horses  ran  up  to 
our  line,  which  was  then  in  full  view.  The  warriors  then 
same  yelling  on,  meeting  us,  and  continued  till  they  were 
within  shot  of  us,  when  we  fired  and  killed  a  considera- 


FAMINE   AND    MUTINY.  79 

ble  number  of  them.  They  then  broke  like  a  gang  of 
steers,  and  ran  across  to  the  other  line,  where  they  wers 
again  fired  on ;  and  so  we  kept  them  running  from  one 
line  to  the  other,  constantly  under  a  heavy  fire,  till 
we  had  killed  upwards  of  four  hundred  of  them.  They 
fought  with  guns,  and  also  with  their  bows  and  arrows ; 
but  at  length  they  made  their  escape  through  a  part  of 
our  line  which  was  made  up  of  drafted  militia,  which 
broke  ranks  and  they  passed.  We  lost  fifteen  of  our 
men,  as  brave  fellows  as  ever  lived  or  died.  We  buried 
them  all  in  one  grave,  and  started  back  to  our  fort ;  but 
before  we  got  there,  two  more  of  our  men  died  of  wounds 
they  had  received,  making  our  total  loss  seventeen  good 
fellows  in  that  battle.* 

We  now  remained  at  the  fort  a  few  days,  but  no  pro 
vision  came  yet,  and  we  were  all  likely  to  perish.  The 
weather  also  began  to  get  very  cold  ;  and  our  clothes 
were  nearly  worn  out,  and  horses  getting  very  feeble  and 
poor.  Our  officers  proposed  to  General  Jackson  to  let 
us  return  home  and  get  fresh  horses  and  fresh  clothing, 
so  as  to  be  better  prepared  for  another  campaign,  for  our 
sixty  days  had  long  been  out,  and  that  was  the  time  we 
entered  for. 

But  the  general  took  "  the  responsibility"  on  himself, 
and  refused.  We  were,  however,  determined  to  go,  as  1 
am  to  put  back  the  deposites,  if  I  can.  With  this,  the 
general  issued  his  orders  against  it,  as  he  has  against  the 
bank.  But  we  began  to  fix  for  a  start,  as  provisions 

*  This  is  the  famous  battle  of  Taladega,  fought  under  Jackson'i 
immediate  command,  Dec.  7,  1813. 


80  VOLUNTEERS   GO   HOME. 

were  too  scarce,  just  as  Clay,  and  Webster,  and  myself, 
are  preparing  to  fix  bank  matters,  on  account  of  the 
scarcity  of  money.  The  general  went  and  placed  liis 
cannon  on  a  bridge  we  had  to  cross,  and  ordered  out  his 
regulars  and  drafted  men  to  keep  us  from  crossing  ;  just 
as  he  has  planted  his  Globe  and  K.  C.  to  alarm  the  bank 
men,  while  his  regulars  and  militia  in  Congress  are  to 
act  as  artillery  men.  But  when  the  militia  started  to 
guard  the  bridge,  they  would  holler  back  to  us  to  bring 
their  knapsacks  along  when  we  come,  for  they  wanted  to 
go  as  bad  as  we  did,  just  as  many  a  good  fellow  now 
wants  his  political  knapsack  brought  along,  that,  if  when 
we  come  to  vote,  he  sees  he  has  a  fair  shake  to  go,  he 
may  join  in  and  help  us  to  take  back  the  deposites. 

We  got  ready  and  moved  on  till  we  came  near  the  bridge 
where  the  general's  men  were  all  strung  along  on  both 
sides,  just  like  the  office-holders  are  now,  to  keep  us  from 
getting  along  to  the  help  of  the  country  and  the  people. 
But  we  all  had  our  flints  ready  picked,  and  our  guns 
ready  primed,  that  if  we  were  fired  on  we  might  fight 
our  way  through,  or  all  die  together,  just  as  we  are  now 
determined  to  save  the  country  from  ready  ruin,  or  to 
sink  down  with  it.  When  we  came  still  nearer  the  bridge 
we  heard  the  guards  cocking  their  guns,  and  we  did  the 
game,  just  as  we  have  had  it  in  Congress,  while  the 
*4 government  "  regulars  and  the  people's  volunteers  have, 
all  been  setting  their  political  triggers.  But,  after  all, 
*e  marched  boldly  on,  and  not  a  gun  was  fired,  nor  a 
life  lost,  just  as  I  hope  it  will  be  again,  that  we  shall  not 
be  afraid  of  the  general's  Globe,  nor  his  K.  C.,  nor  his 
.  regulars,  nor  their  trigger  snapping,  but  just  march 


CBCOKETT   REJOINS   THE   ARMY.  81 

boldly  over  the  ^x^sative  bridge,  and  take  the  deposifcea 
back  where  the  Jaw  placed  thorn  and  where  they  ought 
to  be.  When  we  had  passed,  no  further  attempt  was 
made  to  stop  us  ;  but  the  general  said  we  were  "  the 
damned'st  volunteers  he  had  ever  seen  in  his  life ;  that 
we  would  volunteer  and  go  out  and  fight,  and  then  at  our 
pleasure  would  volunteer  and  go  home  again  in  spite  of 
the  devil."  But  we  went  on,  and  near  Huntsville  we 
met  a  reinforcement  who  were  going  on  to  join  the  army. 
It  consisted  of  a  regiment  of  volunteers,  and  was  under 
the  command  of  some  one  whose  name  I  can't  remember. 
They  were  sixty  day  volunteers. 

We  got  home  pretty  safely,  and  in  a  short  time  we 
had  procured  fresh  horses  and  a  supply  of  clothing  bet 
ter  suited  for  the  season ;  and  then  we  returned  to  Fort 
Deposite,  where  our  officers  held  a  sort  of  a  "  national 
convention'  on  the  subject  of  a  message  they  had  re 
ceived  from  General  Jackson, — demanding  that  on  our 
return  we  should  serve  out  six  months.  We  had  already 
served  three  months  instead  of  two,  which  was  the  time 
we  had  volunteered  for.  On  the  next  morning  the  offi 
cers  reported  to  us  the  conclusions  they  had  come  to ; 
and  told  us,  if  any  of  us  felt  bound  to  go  on  and  serve 
out  the  six  months,  we  could  do  so ;  but  that  they  in 
tended  to  go  back  home.  I  knowed  if  I  went  back  home 
I  wouldn't  rest,  for  I  felt  it  my  duty  to  be  out ;  arid 
when  out  I  was,  somehow  or  other,  always  delighted  to 
be  in  the  very  thickest  of  the  danger.  A  few  of  us, 
therefore,  determined  to  push  on  and  join  the  army. 
The  number  I  do  not  recollect,  but  it  was  very  smell. 

When  we  got  out  there,  I  joined  Major  Russell's  coin- 
6 


82  SKIRMISH   WITH   THE  INDIANS. 

pany  of  spies.  Before  we  reached  the  place,  General 
Jackson  had  started.  We  went  on  likewise,  and  over 
took  him  at  a  place  where  we  established  a  fort,  called 
Fort  Williams,  and  leaving  men  to  guard  it,  we  went 
ahead ;  intending  to  go  to  a  place  called  the  Horseshoe 
bend  on  the  Talapoosa  river.  When  we  came  near  that 
place,  we  began  to  find  Indian  sign  plenty,  and  we  struck 
up  camp  for  the  night.  About  two  hours  before  day  we 
heard  our  guard  firing,  and  we  were  all  up  in  little  or 
no  time.  We  mended  up  our  camp  fires,  and  then  fell 
back  in  the  dark,  expecting  to  see  the  Indians  pouring 
in;  and  intending,  when  they  should  do  so,  to  shoot 
them  by  the  light  of  our  own  fires.  But  it  happened 
they  did  not  rush  in  as  we  had  expected,  but  commenced 
a  fire  on  us  as  we  were.  We  were  encamped  in  a  hollow 
square,  and  we  not  only  returned  the  fire,  but  continued 
to  shoot  as  well  as  we  could  in  the  dark,  till  day  broke, 
when  the  Indians  disappeared.  The  only  guide  we  had 
in  shooting  was  to  notice  the  flash  of  their  guns,  and 
then  shoot  as  directly  at  the  place  as  we  could  guess. 

In  this  scrape  we  had  four  men  killed  and  several 
wounded,  but  whether  we  killed  any  of  the  Indians  or 
not  we  never  could  tell,  for  it  is  their  custom  always  to 
carry  off  their  dead,  if  they  can  possibly  do  so.  We 
buried  ours,  and  then  made  a  large  log  heap  over  them 
and  set  it  on  fire,  so  that  the  place  of  their  deposite 
might  not  be  known  to  the  savages,  who  we  knew  would 
geek  for  them  that  they  might  scalp  them.  We  made 
eome  horse  litters  for  our  wounded,  and  took  up  a  re 
treat.  We  moved  on  till  we  came  to  a  large  creek  which 
we  had  to  cross ;  and  about  half  our  men  had  crossed. 


GENERAL  CARROLL'S  BRAVERY.         83 

when  the  Indians  commenced  firing  on  our  left  wing,  and 
they  kept  it  up  very  warmly.  We  had  left  Major  Rus 
sell  and  his  brother  at  the  camp  we  had  moved  from 
that  morning,  to  see  what  discovery  they  could  make  as 
to  the  movements  of  the  Indians ;  and  about  this  time, 
irl.ile  a  warm  fire  was  kept  up  on  our  left,  as  I  have  just 
stated,  the  major  came  up  in  our  rear,  and  was  closely 
pursued  by  a  large  number  of  Indians,  who  immediately 
commenced  a  fire  on  our  artillery  men.  They  hid  them 
selves  behind  a  large  log,  and  could  kill  one  of  our  men 
almost  every  shot,  they  being  in  open  ground  and  ex 
posed.  The  worst  of  all  was,  two  of  our  colonels  just  at 
this  trying  moment  left  their  men,  and  by  a  forced 
march,  crossed  the  creek  out  of  the  reach  of  the  fire. 
Their  names,  at  this  late  day,  would  do  the  world  no 
good,  and  my  object  is  history  alone,  and  not  the  slight 
est  interference  with  character.  An  opportunity  was 
now  afforded  for  Governor  Carroll  to  distinguish  himself, 
and  on  this  occasion  he  did  so,  by  greater  bravery  than 
I  ever  saw  any  other  man  display.  In  truth,  I  believe, 
as  firmly  as  I  do  that  General  Jackson  is  President,  that 
if  it  hadn't  been  for  Carroll,  we  should  all  have  been 
genteely  licked  that  time,  for  we  were  in  a  devil  of  a  fix ; 
part  of  our  men  on  one  side  of  the  creek,  and  part  on 
the  other,  and  the  Indians  all  the  time  pouring  it  on  us, 
as  hot  as  fresh  mustard  to  a  sore  shin.  I  will  not  say 
exactly  that  the  old  general  was  whipped ;  but  I  will  say, 
that  if  we  escaped  it  at  all,  it  was  like  old  Henry  Snider 
going  to  heaven,  "  mit  a  dam  tite  squeeze."  I  think  he 
would  confess  himself,  that  he  was  nearer  whipp'd  this 
time  than  he  was  at  any  other,  for  I  know  that  all  the 


84  MIGHTY   NEAR    WHIPPED. 

world  couldn't  make  him  acknowledge  that  he  w&s  point 
edly  whipped.  I  know  I  was  mighty  glad  when  it  was 
over,  and  the  savages  quit  us,  for  I  begun  to  think  there 
was  one  behind  every  tree  in  the  woods.* 

*  This  was  the  battle  of  Enstichopco,  fought  January  23d,  1814 

Jacksou  in  command. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

V-rockett  joins  the  army  for  the  Florida  campaign — Passes  near  Fort 
TVtimms — Arrival  at  Pensacola — General  Jackson  leaves  for  New 
Orleans — Crockett  returns  with  his  regiment  to  Fort  Mimrns — De 
scription  of  the  Fort  and  the  massacre — March  towards  Peusacola 
— Preparations  for  a  battle — Creeks  killed — Expedition  of  Major 
Russell — Return  to  Pensacola. 

Soon  after  this,  an  army  was  to  be  raised  to  go  to 
Pensacola,  and  I  determined  to  go  again  with  them,  for 
I  wantf  >d  a  small  taste  of  British  fighting,  and  I  supposed 
they  T\ould  be  there. 

Here  again  the  entreaties  of  my  wife  were  thrown  in 
the  way  of  my  going,  but  all  in  vain  ;  for  I  always  had  a 
way  of  just  going  ahead  at  whatever  I  had  a  mind  to; 
One  of  my  neighbours,  hearing  I  had  determined  to  go, 
came  to  me,  and  offered  me  a  hundred  dollars  to  go  in 
his  place  as  a  substitute,  as  he  had  been  drafted.  I  told 
him  I  was  better  raised  than  to  hire  myself  out  to  be  shot 
at ;  but  that  I  would  go,  and  he  should  go  too,  and  in  that 
way  the  government  would  have  the  services  of  us  both,  v 
Bui  we  didn't  call  General  Jackson  "  the  government" 
in  those  days,  though  we  used  to  go  to  fight  under  him 
in  the  war. 

I  fixed  up,  and  joined  old  Major  Russell  again  ;  but 
wo  couldn't  start  with  the  main  army,  but  followed  on 
in  a  little  time,  after  them.  In  a  day  or  two,  we  hi.  I  a 


86  GOES   TO    PENSACOLA 

hundred  and  thirty  men  in  our  company ;  and  we  went 
over  and  crossed  the  Muscle  Shoals  at  the  same  place 
where  I  had  crossed  when  first  out,  and  when  we  burned 
the  Black  Warrior's  town.  We  passed  through  tho 
Choctaw  and  Chickesaw  nations,  on  to  Fort  Stephens, 
and  from  thence  to  what  is  called  the  Cut-off,  at  the  junc 
tion  of  the  Tom-Bigby  with  the  Alabama  river.  This 
place  is  near  old  Fort  Mimms,  where  the  Indians  com 
mitted  the  great  butchery  at  the  commencement  of  the 
war. 

We  were  here  about  two  days  behind  the  main  army, 
who  had  left  their  horses  at  the  Cut-off,  and  taken  it  on 
foot ;  and  they  did  this  because  there  was  no  chance  for 
forage  between  there  and  Pensacola.  We  did  the  same, 
leaving  men  enough  to  take  care  of  our  horses,  and  cut 
on  foot  for  that  place.  It  was  about  eighty  miles  off; 
but  in  good  heart  we  shouldered  our  guns,  blankets,  and 
provisions,  and  trudged  merrily  on.  About  twelve 
o'clock  the  second  day,  we  reached  the  encampment  of 
the  main  army,  which  was  situated  on  a  hill,  overlooking 
the  city  of  Pensacola.  My  commander  Major  Russell, 
was  a  great  favorite  with  General  Jackson,  and  our  ar 
rival  was  hailed  with  great  applause,  though  we  were  a 
little  after  the  feast ;  for  they  had  taken  the  town  and 
fort  before  we  got  there.  That  evening  we  went  down 
into  the  town,  and  could  see  the  British  fleet  lying  in 
sight  of  the  place.  We  got  some  liquor,  and  took  a 
"  horn"  or  so,  and  went  back  to  the  camp.  We  remained 
there  that  night,  and  in  the  morning  we  marched  back 
towards  the  Cut-off.  We  pursued  this  direction  till  we 
reached  old  Fort  Mimms,  where  we  remained  two  or 


GOES  TO   FORT   MIMMS.  87 

three  days.  It  was  here  that  Major  Russell  was  pro 
moted  from  his  command,  which  was  only  that  of  a  cap 
tain  of  spies,  to  the  command  of  a  major  in  the  line.  He 
had  been  known  long  before  at  home  as  old  Major  Russell, 
and  so  we  continued  to  call  him  in  the  army.  A  Major 
Childs,  from  East  Tennessee,  also  commanded  a  battalion, 
and  he,  and  the  one  Russell  was  appointed  to  com 
mand,  composed  a  regiment,  which,  by  agreement  with 
General  Jackson,  was  to  quit  his  army  and  go  to  the 
south,  to  kill  up  the  Indians  on  the  Scamby  river. 

General  Jackson  and  the  main  army  set  out  the  next 
morning  for  New  Orleans,  and  a  Colonel  Blue  took  com 
mand  of  the  regiment  which  I  have  before  described. 
We  remained,  however,  a  few  days  after  the  general's 
departure,  and  then  started  also  on  our  route. 

As  it  gave  rise  to  so  much  war  and  bloodshed,  it  may 
not  be  improper  here  to  give  a  little  description  of  Fort 
Mimms,  and  the  manner  in  which  the  Indian  war  com 
menced.  The  fort  was  built  right  in  the  middle  of  a 
large  old  field,  and  in  it  the  people  had  been  forted  so 
long  and  so  quietly,  that  they  didn't  apprehend  any  dan 
ger  at  all,  and  had,  therefore,  become  quite  careless.  A 
small  negro  boy,  whose  business  it  was  to  bring  up  the 
calves  at  milking  time,  had  been  out  for  that  purpose, 
and  on  corning  back,  he  said  he  saw  a  great  many 
Indians.  At  this  the  inhabitants  took  the  alarm,  and 
slosed  their  gates  and  placed  out  their  guards,  which  they 
continued  for  a  few  days.  But  finding  that  no  attack 
was  made,  they  concluded  the  little  negro  had  lied  ;  and 
again  threw  their  gates  open  and  set  all  their  hands  out 
to  work  their  fields.  The  same  boy  was  out  again  on  the 


88          MASSACRE  AT  FORT  MIMMS. 

same  errand,  when,  returning  in  great  haste  and  alarm, 
he  informed  them  that  he  had  seen  the  Indians  as  thick 
as  trees  in  the  woods.  He  was  not  believed,  but  waa 
tucked  up  to  receive  a  flogging  for  the  supposed  lie ;  and 
was  actually  getting  badly  licked  at  the  very  moment 
when  'he  Indians  came  in  a  troop,  loaded  with  rails,  with 
whicl  iihey  stopp'd  all  the  port-holes  of  the  fort  on  one  side 
except  the  bastion  ;  and  then  they  fell  in  to  cutting  down 
the  picketing.  Those  inside  the  fort  had  only  the  bastion 
to  shoot  from,  as  all  the  other  holes  were  spiked  up;  and 
they  shot  several  of  the  Indians,  while  engaged  in  cutting. 
But  as  fast  as  one  would  fall,  another  would  seize  up  the 
axe  and  chop  away,  until  they  succeeded  in  cutting  down 
enough  of  the  picketing  to  admit  them  to  enter.  They 
then  began  to  rush  through,  and  continued  until  they 
were  all  in.  They  immediately  commenced  scalping, 
witho'ut  regard  to  age  or  sex  ;  having  forced  the  inhabi 
tants  up  to  one  side  of  the  fort,  where  they  carried  on 
the  work  of  death  as  a  butcher  would  in  a  slaughter  pen. 
The  scene  was  particularly  described  to  me  by  a  young 
man  who  was  in  the  fort  when  it  happened,  and  subse 
quently  went  on  with  us  to  Pensacola.  He  said  he  saw 
his  father,  and  mother,  his  four  sisters,  and  the  same 
number  of  brothers,  all  butchered  in  the  most  shocking 
manner,  and  that  he  made  his  escape  by  running  over 
the  heads  of  the  crowd,  who  were  against  the  fort  wall, 
to  the  top  <»f  the  fort,  and  then  jumping  off,  and  taking 
to  the  woods.  He  was  closely  pursued  by  several  Indians, 
until  he  came  to  a  small  bayou,  across  which  there  was  a 
log.  He  knew  the  log  was  hollow  on  the  under  side,  so 
he  slipp'd  under  the  log  and  hid  himself.  He  said  he 


MARCH   TOWARD   PENSACOLA.  89 

heard  the  Indians  walk  over  him  several  times  back  and 
f  )rward.  He  remained,  nevertheless,  still  till  night,  when 
he  came  out  and  finished  his  escape.  The  name  of  this 
young  man  has  entirely  escaped  my  recollection,  though 
his  tale  greatly  excited  my  feelings.  But  to  return  to 
my  subject.  The  regiment  marched  from  where  General 
Jackson  had  left  us  to  Fort  Montgomery,  which  was  dis 
tant  from  Fort  Minims  about  a  mile  and  a  half,  and  there 
we  remained  for  some  days. 

Here  we  supplied  ourselves  pretty  well  with  beef,  by 
killing,  wild  cattle  which  had  formerly  belonged  to  the 
people  who  perished  in  the  fort,  but  had  gone  wild  after 
their  massacre. 

When  we  marched  from  Fort  Montgomery,  we  went 
some  distance  back  towards  Pensacola ;  then  we  turned 
to  the  left,  and  passed  through  a  poor  piny  country,  till 
we  reached  the  Scamby  river,  near  which  we  encamped. 
We  had  about  one  thousand  men,  and  as  a  part  of  that 
number,  one  hundred  arid  eighty-six  Chickesaw  and 
Choctaw  Indians  with  us.  That  evening  a  boat  landed 
from  Pensacola,  bringing  many  articles  that  were  both 
good  and  necessary  ;  such  as  sugar  and  coffee,  and  liquors 
of  all  kinds.  The  same  evening,  the  Indians  we  had 
along  proposed  to  cross  the  river,  and  the  officers  think 
ing  it  might  be  well  for  them  to  do  so,  consented ;  and 
Major  Russell  went  with  them,  taking  sixteen  white  men, 
of  which  number  I  was  one.  We  camped  on  the  opposite 
bank  that  night,  and  early  in  the  morning  we  set  out. 
We  had  not  gone  far  before  we  came  to  a  place  where 
the  whole  country  was  covered  with  water,  and  looked 
like  a  sea.  We  didn't  stop  for  this,  though,  but  just  put  ID 


90  PREPARATIONS   FOR   A   FIGHT. 

like  /so  many  spaniels,  and  waded  on,  sometimes  up  t* 
our  arm -pits,  until  we  replied  the  pine  hills,  which  made 
our  distance  through  the  water  about  a  mile  and  a  half. 
Here  we  struck  up  a  fire  to  warm  ourselves,  for  it  was 
cold,  and  we  were  chilled  through  by  being  so  long  in  the 
water.  We  again  moved  on,  keeping  our  spies  out ;  two 
to  our  left  near  the  bank  of  the  river,  two  straight  before 
us,  and  five  others  on  our  right.  We  had  gone  in  this 
way  about  six  miles  up  the  river,  when  our  spies  on  the 
left  came  to  us  leaping  the  brush  like  so  many  old  bucks? 
and  informed  us  that  they  had  discovered  a  camp  of 
Creek  Indians,  and  that  we  must  kill  them.  Here  we 
paused  for  a  few  minutes,  and  the  prophets  pow-wowed 
over  their  men  awhile  and  then  got  out  their  paint,  and 
painted  them,  all  according  to  their  custom  when  going 
into  battle.  They  then  brought  their  paint  to  old  Major 
Russell,  and  said  to  him,  that  as  he  was  an  officer,  he 
must  be  painted  too.  He  agreed,  and  they  painted  him 
just  as  they  had  done  themselves. 

We  let  the  Indians  understand  that  we  white  men 
would  first  fire  on  the  camp,  and  then  fall  back  so  as  to 
give  the  Indians  a  chance  to  rush  in  and  scalp  them. 
The  Chickesaws  marched  on  our  left  hand,  and  the  Choc- 
taws  on  our  right,  and  we  moved  on  till  we  got  in  hear 
ing  of  the  camp,  where  the  Indians  were  employed  in 
beating  up  what  they  called  chainy  briar  root.  On  this 
they  mostly  subsisted.  On  a  nearer  approach,  we  found 
they  were  on  an  ^island,  and  that  we  could  not  get  to 
them.  While  we  were  chatting  about  this  matter,  we 
heard  some  guns  fired,  and  in  a  very  short  time  after,  a 
keen  whoop,  which  satisfied  us  that  wherever  it  was, 


CREEKS   KILLED.  91 

there  was  war  on  a  small  scale.  With  that,  we  all  broke 
like  quarter  horses,  for  the  firing ,  and  when  we  got 
there,  we  found  it  was  our  two  front  spies,  who  related 
to  us  the  following  story  : — As  they  were  moving  on, 
they  had  met  with  two  Creeks  who  were  out  hunting 
their  horses  ;  as  they  approached  each  other,  there  was 
a  large  cluster  of  green  bay  bushes  exactly  between  them, 
so  that  they  were  within  a  few  feet  of  meeting  before 
either  was  discovered.  Our  spies  walked  up  to  them, 
and,  speaking  in  the  Shawnee  tongue,  informed  them 
that  General  Jackson  was  at  Pensacola,  and  they  were 
making  their  escape,  and  wanted  to  know  where  they 
could  get  something  to  eat.  The  Creeks  told  them  that 
nine  miles  up  the  Conaker,  the  river  they  were  then  on, 
there  was  a  large  camp  of  Creeks,  and  they  had  cattle 
and  plenty  to  eat  ;  and  further,  that  their  own  camp  was 
on  an  island  about  a  mile  oif,  and  just  below  the  mouth 
of  the  Conaker.  They  held  their  conversation,  and 
struck  up  a  fire  and  smoked  together,  and  shook  hands 
and  parted.  One  of  the  Creeks  had  a  gun,  the  other 
iiad  none ;  and  as  soon  as  they  had  parted,  our  Choctaws 
turned  round  and  shot  down  the  one  that  had  the  gun, 
and  the  other  attempted  to  run  off.  They  snapped  sev 
eral  times  at  him,  but  the  gun  still  missing  fire,  they  took 
after  him,  and  overtaking  him,  one  of  them  struck  him 
over  the  head  with  his  gun,  and  followed  up  his  blows  till 
he  ki'led  him.  • 

The  gun  was  broken  in  the  combat,  and  they  then 
fired  off  the  gun  of  the  Creek  they  had  killed,  and  raised 
the  war-whoop.  When  we  reached  them,  they  had  cut 
off  the  heads  of  both  the  Indians ;  and  each  of  those  In- 


92  TAKE   THE    CAMP. 

dians  with  us  would  walk  up  to  one  of  the  heads,  and  ta 
king  his  war-club  would  strike  on  it.  This  was  don-e  by 
every  one  of  them ;  and  when  they  had  got  done,  I  took 
one  of  their  clubs  and  walked  up  as  they  had  done,  and 
struck  it  on  the  head  also.  At  this,  they  all  gathered 
round  me,  and  patting  me  on  the  shoulder,  would  call  me 
u  Warrior,  warrior." 

They  scalped  the  heads,  and  then  we  moved  on  a  short 
distance  to  where  we  found  a  trace  leading  in  towards, 
the  river..  We  took  this  trace  and  pursued  it,  till  we 
came  to  where  a  Spaniard  had  been  killed  and  scalped, 
together  with  a  woman  who  we  supposed  to  be  his  wife, 
and  also  four  children.  I  began  to  feel  mighty  ticklish 
along  about  this  time,  for  I  knowed  if  there  was  no  dan 
ger  then,  there  had  been,  and  I  felt  exactly  like  ther^ 
still  was.  We,  however,  went  on  till  we  struck  the  river, 
and  then  continued  down  it  till  we  came  opposite  to  the 
Indian  camp,  where  we  found  they  were  still  beating 
their  roots. 

It  was  now  late  in  the  evening,  and  they  were  in  a 
thick  cane-brake.  We  had  some  few  friendly  Creeks 
with  us,  who  said  they  could  decoy  them,  feo  we  all  hid 
behind  trees  and  logs  while  the  attempt  was  made.  The 
Indians  would  not  agree  that  we  should  fire,  but  picked 
out  some  of  their  best  gunners  and  placed  them  near  the 
river.  Our  Creeks  went  down  to  the  river's  side,  and 
hailed  the  camp  in  the  t>eek  language.  We  heard  the 
answer,  and  an  Indian  man  started  down  towards  the 
river,  but  didn't  come  in  sight.  He  went  back  and  again 
commenced  beating  his  roots  and  sent  a  squaw.  She 
came  down  and  talked  to  our  Creeks  until  dark  came  on 


RUSSELL'S  EXPEDITION.  93 

They  told  her  they  wanted  her  to  bring  them  a  canoe. 
To  which  she  replied  that  their  canoe  was  on  our  side ; 
that  two  of  their  men  had  gone  out  to  hunt  their  horses, 
and  hadn't  yet  returned.  They  were  the  same  two  we 
had  killed.  The  canoe  was  found,  and  forty  of  our 
picked  Indian  warriors  were  crossed  over  to  take  the 
camp.  There  was  at  last  only  one  man  in  it,  and  he  es 
caped  ;  and  they  took  two  squaws  and  ten  children,  but 
killed  none  of  them,  of  course. 

We  had  run  nearly  out  of  provisions,  and  Major  Rus 
sell  had  determined  to  go  up  the  Conaker  to  the  camp  we 
had  heard  of  from  the  Indians  we  had  killed.  I  was  one 
that  he  selected  to  go  down  the  river  that  night  for  pro 
visions,  with  the  canoe,  to  where  we  had  left  our  regi 
ment.  I  took  with  me  a  man  by  the  name  of  John 
Guess  and  one  of  the  friendly  Creeks,  and  cut  out.  It 
was  very  dark,  and  the  river  was  so  full,  that  it  over 
flowed  the  banks  and  the  adjacent  low  bottoms.  This 
rendered  it  very  difficult  to  keep  the  channel,  and  par 
ticularly  as  the  river  was  very  crooked.  At  about  ten 
o'clock  at  night  we  reached  the  camp,  and  were  to  re 
turn  by  morning  to  Major  Russell,  with  provisions  for  his 
trip  up  the  river ;  but  on  informing  Colonel  Blue  of  this 
arrangement,  he  vetoed  it  as  quick  as  General  Jackson 
did  the  bank  bill,  and  said,  if  Major  Russell  didn't  come 
back  the  next  day,  it  would  be  bad  times  for  him.  I 
found  we  were  not  to  go  up  the  Conaker  to  the  Indian 
camp,  and  a  man  of  my  company  offered  to  go  up  in  my 
place  to  inform  Major  Russell.  I  let  him  go  ;  and  they 
reached  the  Major,  as  I  was  told,  about  sunrise  in  the 
morning,  who  immediately  returned  with  those  who  were 


94  RETURN   TO    PENSACOLA. 

with  him,  to  the  regiment,  and  joined  us  where  we  crossed 
tLe  river,  as  hereafter  stated. 

The  next  morning  we  all  fixed  up,  and  marched  down 
the  Scamby  to  a  place  called  Miller's  Landing,  where  we 
swam  our  horses  across,  and  sent  on  two  companies  do  rvn 
on  the  side  of  the  bay,  opposite  to  Pensacola,  where  the 
Indians  had  fled  when  the  main  army  first  marched  to 
that  place.  One  was  the  company  of  Captain  William 
Russell,  a  son  of  the  old  Major,  and  the  other  was  com 
manded  by  a  Captain  Trimble.  They  went  on,  and  had 
a  little  skirmish  with  the  Indians.  They  killed  some, 
and  took  all  the  balance  prisoners,  though  I  don't  re 
member  the  numbers. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

Start  for  ('hatahachy — Famine  in  Camp — Burning  of  town  on  the 
Ohatahachy — Famine  again — Crockett  goes  a  hunting — His  saeccsa 
-—Arrival  at  Fort  Decatur — Crockett  buys  corn  with  bullets — 
March  to  Fort  Williams — Pass  the  battle  ground  of  Taladega— 
Pass  the  Coosa  river — Crockett  starts  for  home — Returns  home — 
Joy  of  his  family — Crockett's  sentiments  on  the  Warrior  career — 
Close  of  the  War. 

WHEN  we  made  a  move  from  the  point  where  we  met 
the  companies,  we  set  out  for  Chatahachy,  the  place  for 
which  we  had  started  when  we  left  Fort  Montgomery. 
At  the  start,  we  had  taken  only  twenty  days'  rations  of 
flour,  and  eight  days'  rations  of  beef,  and  it  was  now 
thirty-four  days  before  we  reached  that  place.  We  were, 
therefore,  in  extreme  suffering  for  want  of  something  to 
eat,  and  exhausted  with  our  exposure  and  the  fatigues 
of  our  journey.  I  remember  well,  that  I  had  not  myself 
tasted  bread  but  twice  in  nineteeu  days.  I  had  brought 
a  pretty  good  supply  of  coffee  from  the  boat  that  had 
reached  us  from  Pensacola,  on  the  Scamby,  and  on  that 
we  chiefly  subsisted.  At  length,  one  night  our  spies 
came  in,  and  informed  us  they  had  found  Holm's  village 
on  the  Chatahachy  river  ;  and  we  made  an  immedia  t e 
push  for  that  place.  We  traveled  all  night  expecting  to 
get  something  to  eat  when  we  got  there.  We  arrived 

about  sunrise,  and  near  the  place  prepared  for  battle. 

(95) 


96  TOWN  BURNT 

We  were  all  so  furious,  that  even  the  certainty  of  a  pretty 
hard  fight  could  not  have  restrained  us.  We  made  a  fu 
rious  charge  on  the  town  ;  but  to  our  great  mortification 
and  surprise,  there  was  not  a  human  being  in  it.  The 
Indians  had  all  run  off  and  left  it.  We  burned  the  town, 
however,  but,  melancholy  to  tell,  we  found  no  provision 
whatever.  We  then  turned  about,  and  went  back  to  the 
camp  we  had  left  the  night  before,  as  nearly  starved  as 
any  set  of  poor  fellows  ever  were  in  the  world. 

We  staid  there  only  a  little  while,  when  we  divided 
our  regiment;  and  Major  Childs,  with  his  men,  went 
back  the  way  we  had  come  for  a  considerable  distance, 
and  then  turned  to  Baton-Rouge,  where  they  joined 
General  Jackson  and  the  main  army  on  their  return  from 
Orleans.  Major  Russell  and  his  men  struck  for  Fort 
Decatur,  on  the  Talapoosa  river.  Some  of  our  friendly 
Indians,  who  knew  the  country,  went  on  ahead  of  us,  as 
we  had  no  trail  except  the  one  they  made  to  follow. 
With  them  we  sent  some  of  our  ablest  horses  and  men, 
to  get  us  some  provisions,  to  prevent  us  from  absolutely 
starving  to  death.  As  the  army  marched,  I  hunted 
every  day,  and  would  kill  every  hawk,  bird,  and  squirrel 
that  I  could  find.  Others  did  the  same ;  and  it  was  a 
rule  with  us,  that  when  we  stop'd  at  night,  the  hunters 
would  throw  all  they  had  killed  in  a  pile,  and  then  we 
would  make  a  general  division  among  all  the  men.  One 
evening  I  came  in,  having  killed  nothing  that  day.  I 
had  a  very  sick  man  in  my  mess,  and  I  wanted  something 
for  him  to  eat,  even  if  I  starved  myself.  So  I  went  to 
the  fire  of  a  Captain  Cowen,  who  commanded  my  com 
pany  after  the  promotion  of  Major  Russell,  and  informed 


FAMINE.  97 

Lim  that  I  was  on  the  hunt  of  something  for  a  sick  man 
to  eat.  I  know'd  the  captain  was  as  bad  oft'  as  the  rest 
of  us,  hut  I  found  him  broiling  a  turkey's  gizzard.  lie 
said  he  had  divided  the  turkey  out  among  the  tick,  that 
Major  Smiley  had  killed  it,  and  that  nothing  else  had 
been  killed  that  day.  I  immediately  went  to  Smi ley's 
fire,  where  I  found  him  broiling  another  gizzard.  1  told 
him  that  it  was  the  first  turkey  I  had  ever  seen  have  two 
gizzards.  But  so  it  was,  I  got  nothing  for  my  sick  man. 
And  now,  seeing  that  every  fellow  must  shift  for  himself, 
I  determined  that  in  the  morning  I  would  come  up  miss 
ing  ;  so  I  took  my  mess,  and  .cut  out  to  go  ahead  of  the 
army.  We  know'd  that  nothing  more  could  happen  to 
us  if  we  went  than  if  we  staid,  for  it  looked  like  it  was 
to  be  starvation  any  way ;  we  therefore  determined  to  go 
on  the, old  saying,  root  hog  or  die.  We  passed  two 
camps,  at  which  our  men,  that  had  gone  on  before  us, 
had  killed  Indians.  At  one  they  had  killed  nine,  and  at 
the  other  three.  About  daylight  we  came  to  a  small 
river,  which  I  thought  was  the  Scamby ;  but  we  continued 
on  for  three  days,  killing  little  or  nothing  to  eat;  till,  at 
last,  we  all  began  to  get  nearly  ready  to  give  up  the 
ghost,  and  lie  down  and  die;  for  we  had  no  prospect  of 
provision,  and  we  knew  we  couldn't  go  much  further 
without  it. 

We  came  to  a  large  prairie,  that  was  about  six  miles 
across  it,  and  in  this  I  saw  a  trail  which  I  knowcd  was 
mide  by  bear,  deer,  and  turkeys.  We  went  on  through 
it  till  we  came  to  a  large  creek,  and  the  low  grounds 
were  all  set  over  with  wild  rye,  looking  as  greeii  as  a 


08  SUCCESS   IN   HUNTING. 

wheat  field.     We  here  made  a  halt,  unsaddled  our  h  >rscs, 
and  turned  them  loose  to  graze. 

One  of  my  companions,  a  Mr.  Vanzant,  and  myself, 
then  went  up  the  low  grounds  to  hunt.  We  had  gone 
some  distance,  finding  nothing;  when,  at  last,  I  found  a 
squirrel,  which  I  shot,  but  he  got  into  a  hole  in  the  tree. 
The  game  was  small,  but  necessity  is  not  very  particu 
lar  ;  so  I  thought  I  must  have  him,  and  I  climbed  that 
tree  thirty  feet  high,  without  a  limb,  and  pulled  him  out 
of  his  hole.  I  shouldn't  relate  such  small  matters,  only 
to  show  what  lengths  a  hungry  man  will  go  to,  to  get 
something  to  eat.  I  soon  killed  two  other  squirrels,  and 
fired  at  a  large  hawk.  At  this  a  large  gang  of  turkeys 
rose  from  the  cane  brake,  and  flew  across  the  creek  to 
where  my  friend  was,  who  had  just  before  crossed  it. 
He  soon  fired  on  a  large  gobler,  and  I  heard  it  fall.  By 
this  time,  my  gun  was  loaded  again,  and  I  saw  one  sit 
ting  on  my  side  of  the  creek,  which  had  flew  over  when 
he  fired;  so  I  blazed  away,  and  down  I  brought  him.  I 
gathered  him  up,  and  a  fine  turkey  he  was.  I  now 
began  to  think  we  had  struck  a  breeze  of  luck,  and  almost 
forgot  our  past  sufferings,  in  the  prospect  of  once  more 
having  something  to  eat.  I  raised  the  shout,  and  my 
comrade  came  to  me,  and  we  went  on  to  our  camp  with 
the  game  we  had  killed.  While  we  were  gone,  two  of 
our  mess  had  been  out,  and  each  of  them  had  found  a 
bee  tree.  We  turned  into  cooking  some  of  our  game, 
but  we  had  neither  salt  nor  bread.  Just  at  this  moment, 
on  looking  down  the  creek,  we  saw  our  men,  who  had 
gone  on  before  us  for  provisions,  coming  to  us.  They 
came  up,  and  measured  out  to  each  man  a  cupfull  of 


BEE   TREES.  99 

flour.  With  this,  we  thickened  our  soup,  when  OUT 
turkey  was  cooked,  and  our  friends  took  dinner  with  us, 
and  then  went  on. 

We  now  took  our  tomahawks,  and  went  out  and  cu\ 
our  bee  trees,  out  of  which  we  got  a  fine  chance  of  honey ; 
though  we  had  been  starving  so  long  that  we  feared  to 
eat  much  at  a  time,  till,  like  the  Irish  by  hanging,  we 
got  used  to  it  again.  We  rested  that  night  without' mov 
ing  our  camp ;  and  the  next  morning  myself  and  Vanzant 
again  turned  out  to  hunt.  We  had  not  gone  far,  before 
I  wounded  a  fine  buck  very  badly;  and  while  pursuing 
him,  I  was  walking  on  a  large  tree  that  had  fallen  down, 
when  from  the  top  of  it  a  large  bear  broke  out  and  ran 
off.  I  had  no  dogs,  and  I  was  sorry  enough  for  it;  for 
of  all  the  hunting  I  ever  did,  I  have  always  delighted 
most  in  bear  hunting.  Soon  after  this,  I  killed  a  large 
buck;  and  we  had  just  gotten  him  to  camp,  when  our 
poor  starved  army  came  up.  They  told  us,  that  to 
lessen  their  sufferings  as  much  as  possible,  Captain  Wil 
liam  Russell  had  had  his  horse  led  up  to  be  shot  for  them 
to  eat,  just  at  the  moment  that  they  saw  our  men  re 
turning,  who  had  carried  on  the  flour. 

We  were  now  about  fourteen  miles  from  Fort  Decatur, 
nnd  we  gave  away  all  our  meat  and  honey,  and  went  ^n 
with  the  rest  of  the  army.  When  we  got  there,  they 
could  give  us  only  one  ration  of  meat,  but  not  a  month- 
fui  of  bread.  I  immediately  got  a  canoe,  and  taking 
my  gun,  crossed  over  the  river,  and  went  to  the  Big 
Warriors'  town.  I  had  a  large  hat,  and  I  offered  an 
Indian  a  silver  dollar  for  my  hat  full  of  corn.  He  told 
me  that  his  corn  was  all  "shuestea,"  which  in  English 


100  CROCKETT    BUYS    CORN. 

means,  it  was  all  gone.  But  he  showed  me  wh^re  an 
Indian  lived,  who,  he  said,  had  corn.  I  went  to  hr*n  and 
made  the  same  offer.  He  could  talk  a  little  troken 
English,  and  said  to  me,  "You  got  any  powder?  You 
got  bullet?"  I  told  him  I  had.  He  then  said,  "Me 
swap  my  corn  for  powder  and  bullet."  I  took  out  about 
ten  bullets,  and  showed  him ;  and  he  proposed  to  give 
me  a  hat  full  of  corn  for  them.  I  took  him  up  mighty 
quick.  I  then  offered  to  give  him  ten  charges  of  powder 
for  another  hat  full  of  corn.  To  this  he  agreed  very 
willingly.  So  I  took  off  my  hunting  shirt,  and  tied  up 
my  corn ;  and  though  it  had  cost  me  very  little  of  my 
powder  and  lead,  yet  I  wouldn't  have  taken  fifty  silver 
dollars  for  it.  I  returned  to  the  camp,  and  the  next 
morning  we  started  for  the  Hickory  Ground,  which  was 
thirty  miles  off.  It  was  here  that  General  Jackson  met 
the  Indians,  and  made  peace  with  the  body  of  the  nation. 

We  got  nothing  to  eat  at  this  place,  and  ^*e  had  yet 
to  go  forty-nine  miles,  over  a  rough  and  wilderness  coun 
try,  to  Fort  Williams.  Parched  corn,  and  but  little  even 
of  that,  was  our  daily  subsistence.  When  we  reached 
Fort  Williams,  we  got  one  ration  of  pork,  and  one  of 
flour,  which  was  our  only  hope  until  we  could  reach  Fort 
Strother. 

The  horses  were  now  giving  out,  and  I  remember  te> 
have  seen  thirteen  good  horses  left  in  one  day,  the  sad 
dles  and  bridles  being  thrown  away.  It  was  thirty-nine 
miles  to  Fort  Strother,  and  we  had  to  pass  directly  by 
Fort  Talladega,  where  we  first  had  the  big  Indian  battle 
with  the  eleven  hundred  painted  warriors.  We  went 
through  the  old  battle  ground,  and  it  looked  like  a  great 


CROCKETT   RETURNS   HOME.  101 

gourd  patch ;  the  skulls  of  the  Indians  who  were  killed, 
still  lay  scattered  all  about,  and  many  of  their  frames  were 
still  perfect,  as  the  bones  had  not  separated.  But  about 
five  miles  before  we  got  to  this  battle  ground,  I  struck  a 
trail,  which  I  followed  until  it  led  me  to  one  of  their 
towns.  Here  I  swapp'd  some  more  of  my  powder  and 
bullets  for  a  little  corn. 

I  pursued  on,  by  myself,  till  some  time  after  night, 
when  I  came  up  to  the  rest  of  the  army.  That  night 
my  company  and  myself  did  pretty  well,  as  I  divided  out 
my  corn  among  them.  The  next  morning  we  met  the 
East  Tennessee  troops,  who  were  on  the  road  to  Mobile, 
and  my  youngest  brother  was  with  them.  They  had 
plenty  of  corn  and  provisions,  and  they  gave  me  what  I 
wanted  for  myself  and  my  horse.  I  remained  with  them 
that  night,  though  my  company  went  across  the  Coosa 
river  to  the  fort,  where  they  also  had  the  good  fortune 
to  find  plenty  of  provisions.  Next  morning,  I  took  leave 
of  my  brother  and  all  my  old  neighbours,  for  there  were 
a  good  many  of  them  with  him,  and  crossed  over  to  my 
men  at  the  fort.  Here  I  had  enough  to  go  on,  and  after 
remaining  a  few  days,  cut  out  for  home.  Nothing  more, 
worthy  of  the  reader's  attention,  transpired  till  I  was 
safely  landed  at  home  once  more  with  my  wife  and  child 
ren.  I  found  them  all  well  and  doing  well ;  and  though 
I  was  only  a  rough  sort  of  backwoodsman,  they  seemed 
mightj  glad  to  see  me,  however  little  the  quality  folks 
might  suppose  it.  For  I  do  reckon  we  love  as  hard  in 
the  back  wood  country,  as  any  people  in  the  whole  creation. 

But  I  had  been  home  only  a  few  days,  when  we  re 
ceived  orders  to  start  again,  and  go  on  to  the  Black 


102  END   OF  THE  WAR. 

Warrior  and  Cahawba  rivers,  to  see  if  there  was  no  In 
dians  there.  I  know'd  well  enough  there  was  none,  and 
I  wasn't  willing  to  trust  my  craw  any  more  where  there, 
was  neither  any  fighting  to  do,  nor  anything  to  go  on ; 
and  so  I  agreed  to  give  a  young  man,  who  wanted  to  go, 
the  balance  of  my  wages  if  he  would  serve  out  my  time, 
which  was  about  a  month.  He  did  so,  and  when  they 
returned,  sure  enough  they  hadn't  seen  an  Indian,  any 
more  than  if  they  had  been  all  the  time  chopping  wood 
in  my  clearing.  This  closed  my  career  as  a  warrior,  and 
I  am  glad  of  it,  for  I  like  life  now  a  heap  better  than  1 
did  then ;  and  I  am  glad  all  over  that  I  lived  to  see  these 
times,  which  I  should  not  have  done  if  I  had  kept  fooling 
along  in  war,  and  got  used  up  at  it.  When  I  say  L  am 
glad,  I  just  mean  I  am  glad  that  I  am  alive,  for  there 
is  a  confounded  heap  of  things  I  an't  glad  of  at  all.  I 
an't  glad,  for  example,  that  the  "government"  moved 
the  deposites,  and  if  my  military  glory  should  take  such 
a  turn  as  to  make  me  president  after  the  general's  time, 
I'll  move  them  back ;  yes,  I,  the  "  government"  will 
"take  the  responsibility,"  and  move  them  back  again. 
If  I  don't,  I  wish  I  may  be  shot. 

But  I  am  glad  that  I  am  now  through  war  matters, 
and  I  reckon  the  reader  is  too,  for  they  have  no  fun  in 
them  at  all ;  and  less,  if  he  had  had  to  pass  through  them 
first,  and  then  write  them  afterwards.  But  for  the  dull 
ness  of  their  narrative,  I  must  try  to  make  amends  by 
relating  some  of  the  curious  things  that  happened  to  me 
in  private  life,  and  \v\ienforced  to  become  a  public  man. 
as  I  shall  have  to  be  again,  if  ever  I  consent  to  take  th« 
presidential  chair. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

Death  of  Mrs.  CrDckett — His  family — Crockett  courts  a  soldier'i 
widow — Marries  again — New  family — Emigrates — Perilous  jour 
ney — Sickness — Returns  home — Second  sickness — Crockett  settles 
on  Shoal  Creek — Regulators — Crockett  a  magistrate — Amusing 
account  of  his  proceedings — Learning  how  to  make  out  writteo 
warrants,  and  keep  a  docket — His  success  as  a  magistrate. 

I  CONTINUED  at  home  now,  working  my  farm  for  two 
years,  as  the  war  finally  closed  soon  after  I  quit  the  ser 
vice.  The  battle  at  New  Orleans  had  already  been 
fought,  and  treaties  were  made  with  the  Indians,  which 
put  a  stop  to  their  hostilities. 

But  in  this  time,  I  met  with  the  hardest  trial  which 
ever  falls  to  the  lot  of  man.  Death,  that  cruel  leveler 
of  all  distinctions, — to  whom  the  prayers  and  tears  of 
husbands,  and  of  even  helpless  infancy,  are  addressed  in 
vain, — entered  my  humble  cottage,  and  tore  from  my 
children  an  affectionate  good  mother,  and  from  me  a  ten 
der  and  loving  wife. 

It  is  a  scene  long  gone  by,  and  one  which  it  would  be 
supposed  I  had  almost  forgotten;  yet  when  I  turn  my 
memory  back  on  it,  it  seems  as  but  the  work  of  yester 
day.  It  was  the  doing  of  the  Almighty,  whose  ways  are 
always  right,  though  we  sometfmes  think  they  fall  heavily 
on  us ;  and  as  painful  as  is  even  yet  the  remembrance  of 

Ler  sufferings,  and  the  loss  sustained  by  my  little  child- 

(103) 


104  DEATH   OF   MRS.   CROCKETT. 

ren  and  myself,  yet  I  have  no  wish  to  lift  up  the  voice 
of  complaint.  I  was  left  with  three  children  ;  the  two 
eldest  were  sons,  the  youngest  a  daughter,  and,  at  that 
time,  a  mere  infant.  It  appeared  to  me,  at  that  moment, 
that  my  situation  was  the  worst  in  the  world.  I  couldn't 
bear  the  thought  of  scattering  my  children,  and  so  I  got 
my  youngest  brother,  wrho  was  also  married,  and  his 
family  to  live  with  me.  They  took  as  good  care  of  my 
children  as  they  well  could,  but  yet  it  wrasn't  all  like  the 
care  of  a  mother.  And  though  their  company  was  to 
me  in  every  respect  like  that  of  a  brother  and  sister,  yet 
it  fell  far  short  of  being  like  that  of  a  wife.  So  I  came 
to  the  conclusion  it  wouldn't  do,  but  that  I  must  have 
another  wife. 

There  lived  in  the  neighborhood,  a  widow  lady  whose 
husband  had  been  killed  in  the  war.  She  had  two  child 
ren,  a  son  and  daughter,  and  both  quite  small,  like  my 
own.  I  began  to  think,  that  as  we  were  both  in  the 
same  situation,  it  might  be  that  we  could  do  something 
for  each  other;  and  therefore  began  to  hint  a  little  around 
the  matter,  as  we  were  once  in  a  while  together.  She 
was  a  good  industrious  woman,  and  owned  a  snug  little 
farm,  and  lived  quite  comfortable.  I  soon  began  to  pay 
mv  respects  to  her  in  real  good  earnest ;  but  I  was  aa 
ely  about  it  as  a  fox  when  he  is  going  to  rob  a  hen-roost. 
I  found  that  my  company  wasn't  at  all  disagreeable  to 
Ler :  and  I  thought  I  could  treat  her  children  with  so 
rniwh  friendship  as  to  make  her  a  good  stepmother  to 
mine,  and  in  this  1  wasn't  mistaken,  as  we  soon  bargained, 
and  got  marrieJ,  and  then  went  ahead.  In  a  great  deal 
of  peace  we  raised  our  first  crop  of  children,  and  thej 


NEW   FAMILY.  105 

are  all  married  and  doing  well.  But  we  had  a  second 
crop  together;  and  I  shall  notice  them  as  1  go  along,  as 
my  wife  and  myself  both  had  a  hand  in  them,  and  they 
therefore  belong  to  the  history  of  my  second  marriage. 

The  next  fall  after  this  marriage,  three  of  my  neigh 
bors  and  myself  determined  to  explore  a  new  country. 
Theii  names  were  Robinson,  Frazier,  and  Rich.  We 
set  out  for  the  Creek  country,  crossing  the  Tennessee 
river  ;  and  after  having  made  a  day's  travel,  we  stopp'd 
at  the  house  of  one  of  my  old  acquaintances,  who  had 
settle'd  there  after  the  war.  Resting  here  a  day,  Frazier 
turned  out  to  hunt,  being  a  great  hunter ;  but  he  got 
badly  bit  by  a  very  poisonous  snake,  and  so  we  left  him 
and  went  on.  We  passed  through  a  large  rich  valley, 
called  Jones's  Valley,  where  several  other  families  had 
settled,  and  continued  our  course  till  we  came  near  to 
the  place  where  Tuscaloosa  now  stands.  Here  we 
camped,  as  there  were  no  inhabitants,  and  hobbled  out 
our  horses  for  the  night.  About  two  hours  before  day, 
we  heard  the  bells  on  our  horses  going  back  the  way  we 
had  come,  as  they  had  started  to  leave  us.  As  soon  as 
it  was  daylight,  I  started  in  pursuit  of  them  on  foot, 
and  carrying  my  rifle,  which  was  a  very  heavy  one.  I 
•went  ahead  the  whole  day,  wading  creeks  and  swamps, 
and  climbing  mountains ;  but  I  couldn't  overtake  our 
horses,  though  I  could  hear  of  them  at  every  house  they 
passed.  I  at  last  found  I  couldn't  catch  up  with  them, 
and  so  I  gave  up  the  hunt,  and  turned  back  to  the  last 
house  I  had  passed,  and  staid  there  till  morning.  From 
the  best  calculation  we  could  make,  I  had  walked  over 
fifty  miles  that  day ;  and  the  next  morning  I  was  so 


106  PERILOUS   JOURNEY. 

sore,  and  fatigued,  that  I  felt  like  I  couldn't  walk  any 
more.  But  I  was  anxious  to  get  back  to  where  I  had 
ieft  my  company,  and  so  I  started  and  went  on,  but 
might y  slowly,  till  after  the  middle  of  the  day.  I  now 
began  to  feel  i  eighty  sick,  and  had  a  dreadful  headache. 
My  rifle  was  so  heavy,  and  I  felt  so  weak,  that  I  lay 
down  by  the  side  of  the  trace,  in  a  perfect  wilderness 
too,  to  see  if  I  wouldn't  get  better.  In  a  short  time 
some  Indians  came  along.  They  had  some  ripe  melons, 
and  wanted  me  to  eat  some,  but  I  was  so  sick  I  couldn't. 
They  then  signed  to  me,  that  I  would  die,  and  be  buried; 
a  thing  I  was  confoundedly  afraid  of  myself.  But  I 
asked  them  how  near  it  was  to  any  house  ?  By  their 
signs,  again,  they  made  me  understand  it  was  a  mile 
and  a  half.  I  got  up  to  go ;  but  when  I  rose,  I  reeled 
about  like  a  cow  with  the  blind  staggers,  or  a  fellow  who 
had  taken  too  many  "  horns."  One  of  the  Indians  pro 
posed  to  go  with  me,  and  carry  my  gun.  I  gave  him 
half  a  dollar,  and  accepted  his  oifer.  We  got  to  the 
house,  by  which  time  I  was  pretty  far  gone,  but  was 
kindly  received,  and  got  on  to  a  bed.  The  woman  did 
all  she  could  for  me  with  her  warm  teas,  but  I  still  con 
tinued  bad  enough,  with  a  high  fever,  and  generally  out 
of  my  senses.  The  next  day  two  of  my  neighbors  were 
passing  the  road,  and  heard  of  my  situation,  and  came 
to  where  I  was.  They  were  going  nearly  the  route  I 
had  intended  to  go,  to  look  at  the  country;  and  so  they 
took  me  first  on  one  of  their  horses,  and  then  on  the 
other,  till  they  got  me  back  to  where  I  had  left  my  com 
pany.  I  expected  I  would  get  better,  and  be  able  to  go 
on  with  them,  but,  instead  of  this,  I  got  worse  and 


SICKNESS.  „         107 

worse  :  and  when  we  got  there,  I  wasn't  able  to  sit  up  at 
all.  I  thought  now  the  jig  was  mighty  nigh  up  with 
me,  but  I  determined  to  keep  a  stiff  upper  lip.  They 
carried  me  to  a  house,  and  each  of  my  comrades  bought 
him  a  horse,  and  they  all  set  out  together,  leaving  me 
behind.  I  knew  but  little  that  was  going  on  for  about 
two  weeks ;  but  the  family  treated  me  with  every  pos 
sible  kindness  in  their  power,  and  I  shall  always  feel 
thankful  to  them.  The  man's  name  was  Jesse  Jones. 
At  the  end  of  two  weeks  I  began  to  mend  without  the 
help  of  a  doctor,  or  of  any  doctor's  means.  In  this 
time,  however,  as  they  told  me,  I  was  speechless  for  five 
days,  and  they  had  no  thought  that  I  would  ever  speak 
again, — in  Congress  or  anywhere  else.  And  so  the 
woman,  who  had  a  bottle  of  Bateman's  drops,  thought 
if  they  killed  me,  I  would  only  die  any  how,  and  so  she 
would  try  it  with  me.  She  gave  me  the  whole  bottle, 
which  throwed  me  into  a  sweat  that  continued  on  me 
all  night ;  when  at  last  I  seemed  to  wake  up,  and  spoke, 
and  asked  her  for  a  drink  of  water.  This  almost  alarmed 
her,  for  she  was  looking  every  minute  for  me  to  die. 
She  gave  me  the  water,  and,  from  that  time,  I  began 
slowly  to  rnend,  and  so  kept  on  till  I  was  able  at  last 
t )  walk  about  a  little.  I  mi^ht  easily  have  been  mis 
taken  for  one  of  the  Kitchen  Cabinet,  I  looked  so  much 
like  a  ghost.  I  have  been  particular  in  giving  a  history 
of  this  sickness,  not  because  I  believe  it  will  interest 
any  body  much  now,  nor,  indeed,  do  I  certainly  know 
*lnt  it  ever  will.  But  if  I  should  be  forced  to  take  the 
"white  house,"  then  it  will  be  a  good  history;  and 
every  one  will  look  on  it  as  important.  And  I  can't, 


108  RETURN   HOME. 

for  my  life,  help  laughing  now,  to  think,  that  when  all 
my  folks  get  around  me,  wanting  good  fat  offices,  how 
HO  many  of  them  will  say,  "  What  a  good  thing  it  was 
that  that  kind  woman  had  a  bottle  of  drops  that  saved 
PRESIDENT  CROCKETT'S  life, — the  second  greatest  and 
best"  ! ! ! ! !  Good,  says  I,  my  noble  fellow  !  You  take  I 
the  post  office  ;  or  the  navy  ;  or  the  war  office  ;  or,  may 
be,  the  treasury.  But  if  I  give  him  the  treasury,  there's 
no  devil  if  I  don't  make  him  agree  first  to  fetch  back 
them  deposites.  And  if  it's  even  the  post  office,  I'll 
make  him  promise  to  keep  his  money  'counts  without 
any  figuring,  as  that  throws  the  whole  concern  heels 
over  head  in  debt,  in  little  or  no  time. 

But  when  I  got  so  I  could  travel  a  little,  I  got  a 
wagoner  who  was  passing  along  to  haul  me  to  where  he 
lived,  which  was  about  twenty  miles  from  my  house.  1 
still  mended  as  we  went  along,  and  when  we  got  to  his 
stopping  place,  I  hired  one  of  his  horses,  and  went  on 
home.  I  was  so  pale,  and  so  much  reduced,  that  my 
face  looked  like  it  had  been  half  soled  with  brown  paper. 

When  I  got  there,  it  was  to  the  utter  astonishment 
of  my  wife ;  for  she  supposed  I  was  dead.  My  neigh 
bors  who  had  started  with  me  had  returned  and  took  my 
horse  home,  which  they  had  found  with  theirs ;  and  they 
reported  that  they  had  seen  men  who  had  helped  to  bury 
me ;  and  who  saw  me  draw  my  last  breath.  I  kri  nv'd 
this  was  a  whopper  of  a  lie,  as  soon  as  I  heard  it.  My 
wife  had  hired  a  man,  and  sent  him  out  to  see  what  had 
become  of  my  money  arid  other  things  ;  but  I  had  missed 
the  man  as  I  went  in,  and  he  didn't  return  until  somo 
time  after  I  got  home,  as  he  went  all  the  way  to  where 


SETTLES    ON   SHOAL   CREEK. 

I  lay  sick,  before  he  heard  that  I  was  still  in  the  land 
of  the  living  and  a-kicking. 

The  pi  ice  on  which  I  lived  was  sickly,  and  I  was  de 
termined  to  leave  it.  I  therefore  set  out  the  next  fall  to 
look  at  the  country  which  had  been  purchased  of  the 
Chick esaw  tribe  of  Indians.  I  went  on  to  a  place  called 
Shoal  Creek,  about  eighty  miles  from  where  I  lived,  and 
here  again  I  got  sick.  I  took  the  ague  and  fever,  which 
I  supposed  was  brought  on  by  my  camping  out.  I  re 
mained  here  for  some  time,  as  I  was  unable  to  go  farther; 
and  in  that  time  I  became  so  well  pleased  with  the 
country  about  there,  that  I  resolved  to  settle  in  it.  It 
was  just  only  a  little  distance  in  the  purchase,  and  no 
order  had  been  established  there;  but  I  thought  I  could 
get  along  without  order  as  well  as  anybody  else.  And 
so  I  moved  and  settled  myself  down  on  the  head  of  Shoal 
Creek.  We  remained  here  some  two  or  three  years, 
without  any  law  at  all;  and  so  many  bad  characters 
began  to  flock  in  upon  us,  that  we  found  it  necessary  to 
set  up  a  sort  of  temporary  government  of  our  own.  I 
don't  mean  that  we  made  any  president,  and  called  him 
the  "government,"  but  we  met  and  made  what  we  called 
a  corporation ;  and  I  reckon  we  called  it  wrong,  for  it 
wasn't  a  bank,  and  hadn't  any  deposites;  and  now  they 
call  the  bank  a  corporation.  But  be  this  as  it  may,  we 
lived  in  the  backwoods,  and  didn't  profess  to  know  much, 
and  no  doubt  used  many  wrong  words.  But  we  met,  and 
appointed  magistrates  and  constables  to  keep  order.  We 
didn't  fix  any  laws  for  them,  though ;  for  we  supposed  they 
would  know  law  enough,  whoevei  they  might  be;  and  50 
we  left  it  to  themselves  to  fix  the  laws. 


110  CROCKETT    A    MAGISTRATE. 

I  was  appointed  one  of  the  magistrates;  and  when  a 
man  owed  a  debt,  and  wouldn't  pay  it,  I  and  my  consta 
ble  ordered  our  warrant,  and  then  he  would  take  the 
man,  and  bring  him  before  me  for  trial.  I  would  give 
judgment  against  him,  and  then  an  order  for  an  execu 
tion  would  easily  scare  the  debt  out  of  him.  If  any  one 
was  charged  with  marking  his  neighbor's  hogs,  or  with 
stealing  anything, — which  happened  pretty  often  in  those 
days, — I  would  have  him  taken,  and  if  there  were  tole 
rable  grounds  for  the  charge,  I  would  have  him  well 
whipp'd  and  cleared.  We  kept  this  up  till  our  Legislature 
added  us  to  the  white  settlements  in  Giles  county,  and 
appointed  magistrates  by  law,  to  organize  matters  in  the 
parts  where  I  lived.  They  appointed  nearly  every  man 
a  magistrate  who  had  belonged  to  our  corporation.  I 
was  then,  of  course,  made  a  squire,  according  to  law; 
though  now  the  honor  rested  more  heavily  on  me  than 
before.  For,  at  first,  whenever  I  told  my  constable,  says 
I — "Catch  that  fellow  and  bring  him  up  for  trial," — 
away  he  went,  and  the  fellow  must  come,  dead  or  alive; 
for  we  considered  this  a  good  warrant,  though  it  was 
only  in  verbal  writing.  But  after  I  was  appointed  by 
the  assembly,  they  told  me  my  warrants  must  be  in  real 
writing,  and  signed;  and  that  I  must  keep  a  book,  and 
write  my  proceedings  in  it.  This  was  a  hard  business  on 
me,  for  I  could  just  barely  write  my  own  name;  but  to 
do  this,  arid  write  the  warrants  too,  was  at  least  a  huck 
leberry  over  my  persimmon.  I  had  a  pretty  well  in 
formed  constable,  however,  and  he  aided  me  very  much 
in  this  business.  Indeed,  I  had  so  much  confidence  in 
,  that  I  told  him,  when  we  should  happen  to  be  out 


SUCCESS    AS   A    MAGISTRATE.  Ill 

anywhere,  and  see  that  a  warrant  was  necessary,  and 
would  have  a  good  effect,  he  needn't  take  the  houbk-  to 
come  all  the  way  to  me  to  got  one,  but  he  could  just  fill 
out  one;  and  then  on  the  trial  I  could  correct  the  whole 
business  if  he  had  committed  any  error.  In  this  way  I 
got  on  pretty  well,  till  by  care  and  attention  I  improved 
my  handwriting  in  such  a  manner  as  to  be  able  to  pie- 
pare  my  warrants,  and  keep  my  record  book  without 
much  difficulty.  My  judgments  were  never  appealed 
from,  and  if  they  had  been,  they  would  have  stuck  like 
wax,  as  I  gave  my  decisions  on  the  principles  of  common 
justice  and  honesty  between  man  and  man,  and  relied 
on  natural  born  sense,  and  not  on  law  learning  to  guide 
rr.e:  for  I  had  never  read  a  page  in  a  law  book  in  all  inj 
life'. 


CHAPTER  X. 

Captain  Matthew's  intrigue — Crockett  a  candidate  for  military  office 
— Matthew's  artful  dodge — Detected  by  Crockett,  who  defeats 
him,  and  is  elected  Colonel — Crockett  a  candidate  for  the  Legisla 
ture — On  the  stump — Electioneering — Hunting  party — Speech- 
making  tough  work — Tells  anecdotes — Gains  his  election — Colonel 
Polk— The  judiciary— Loss  of  property— Failure— Gives  up  all  to 
his  creditors. 

About  the  time  we  were  getting  under  good  headway 
in  our  new  government,  a  Captain  Matthews  came  to  me 
arid  told  me  he  was  a  candidate  for  the  office  of  colonel 
of  a  regiment,  and  that  I  must  run  for  first  major  m  the 
same  regiment.  I  objected  to  this,  telling  him  that  I 
thought  I  had  done  my  share  of  fighting,  and  that  I 
wanted  nothing  to  do  with  military  appointments. 

•He  still  insisted,  until  at  last  I  agreed,  and  of  course 
had  every  reason  to  calculate  on  his  support  in  my  elec 
tion.  He  was  an  early  settler  in  that  country,  and  made 
rather  more  com  than  the  rest  of  us,;  and  knowing  it 
would  afford  him  a  good  opportunity  to  electioneer  a 
little,  he  made  a  great  corn  husking,  and  a  great  frolic, 
and  gave  a  general  treat,  asking  everybody  over  the 
whole  country.  Myself  and  my  family  were,  of  course, 
invited.  When  I  got  there,-  I  found  a  very  large  collec 
tion  of  people,  and  some  friend  of  mine  soon  informed 
me  that  the  captain's  son  was  going  to  offer  against  me 
(112) 


CROCKETT  ELECTED  COLONEL.          113 

for  the  offke  of  major,  which  he  had  »:emed  so  anxious 
for  me  to  get.  I  cared  nothing  ?bout  "he  office,  but  it 
put  my  dander  up  high  enough  to  see,  tl  at  after  he  had 
pressed  me  so  hard  to  offer,  he  was  countenancing,  if  not 
encouraging,  a  secret  plan  to  beat  me. 

I  toe*:  the  old  gentleman  out,  and  asked  him  about  it. 
lie  toli  me  it  was  true  his  son  was  going  to  run  as  a 
candidate,  and  that  he  hated  worse  to  run  against  n.e 
than  any  man  in  the  county.  I  told  him  his  son  need 
give  himself  no  uneasiness  about  that ;  that  I  shouldn't 
run  against  him  for  major,  but  against  his  daddy  for 
colonel.  He  took  me  by  the  hand,  and  we  went  into  the 
company.  He  then  made  a  speech  and  informed  the 
people  that  I  was  his  opponent.  I  mounted  up  for  a 
speech  too.  I  told  the  people  the  cause  of  my  opposing 
him,  remarking  that  as  I  had  the  whole  family  to  run 
against  any  way,  I  was  determined  to  levy  on  the  head 
of  the  mess.  When  the  time  for  election  came,  his  son 
was  opposed  by  another  man  for  major ;  and  he  and  hia 
daddy  were  both  badly  beaten.  I  just  now  began  to  take 
a  rise,  as  in  a  little  time  I  was  asked  to  offer  for  thfl 
Legislature  in  the  counties  of  Lawrence  and  Ileckman. 

T  offered  my  name  in  the  month  of  February,  an  I 
Ptarted  about  the  first  of  March  with  a  drove  of  horses 
to  the  lower  part  of  the  State  of  North  Carolina.  Thia 
was  in  the  year  1821,  and  I  was  gone  upwards  of  three 
months.  I  returned,  and  set  out  electioneering,  which 
was  a  bran-fire  new  business  to  me.  It  now  been  mo 
necessary  that  I  should  tell  the  people  something  about 
the  government,  and  an  eternal  sight  of  other  things  that 
I  knowcd  nothing  more  about  than  I  did  about  Latin, 


114  CROCKETT    ELECTIONEERS. 

and  law,  and  such  things  as  that.  I  have  said  lelore 
chat  in  those  days  none  of  us  called  General  Jackson  the 
government,  nor  did  he  seem  in  as  fair  a  way  to  become 
BO  as  I  do  now  ;  but  I  knowed  so  little  about  it,  that  if 
any  one  had  told  me  he  was  "the  government,"  I  should 
have  believed  it,  for  I  had  never  read  even  a  newspaper 
in  my  life,  or  anything  else,  on  the  subject.  But  over 
all  my  difficulties,  it  seems  to  me  I  was  born  for  luck, 
though  it  would  be  hard  for  any  one  to  guess  what  sort. 
I  will,  however,  explain  that  hereafter. 

I  went  first  into  Heckman  county,  to  see  what  I  could 
do  among  the  people  as  a  candidate.  Here  they  told  me 
that  they  wanted  to  move  their  town  nearer  to  the  centre 
of  the  county,  and  I  must  come  out  in  favor  of  it. 
There's  no  devil  if  I  knowed  what  this  meant,  or  how 
the  town  was  to  be  moved  ;  and  so  I  kept  dark,  going 
on  the  identical  same  plan  that  I  now  find  is  called  "  non 
committal."  About  this  time  there  was  a  great  squirrel 
hunt  on  Duck  river,  which  was  among  my  people.  They 
were  to  hunt  two  days;  then  to  meet  and  count  the 
scalps,  and  have  a  big  barbecue,  and  what  might  be 
called  a  tip-top  country  frolic.  The  dinner,  and  a 
general  treat,  was  all  to  be  paid  for  by  the  party  having 
taken  the  fewest  scalps.  I  joined  one  side,  taking  the 
place  of  one  of  the  hunters,  and  got  a  gun  ready  for  the 
hunt.  I  killed  a  great  many  squirrels,  and  when  we 
countod  scalps,  my  party  was  victorious. 

The  company  had  every  thing  to  eat  and  drink  that 
could  be  furnished  in  so  new  a  country,  and  much  fun 
and  good  humor  prevailed.  But  before  the  regular  frolic 
commenced,  I  mean  the  dancing,  I  was  called  on  to  make 


TOUGH   WORK.  116 

a  speech  as  a  candidate ;  which  was  a  business  I  was 
as  ignora^*  of  as  an  outlandish  negro. 

A  public  document  I  had  never  seen,  nor  did  I  know 
there  were  such  things  ;  and  how  to  begin  I  couldn't  tell. 
I  made  many  apologies,  and  tried  to  get  off,  for  I  knowV. 
1  had  a  man  to  run  against  who  could  speak  prime,  and 
I  know'd,  too,  that  I  wasn't  able  to.  shuffle  and  cut  with 
him.  He  was  there,  and  knowing  my  ignorance  as  well 
as  I  did  myself,  he  also  urged  me  to  make  a  speech. 
The  truth  is,  he  thought  my  being  a  candidate  was  a 
mere  matter  of  sport ;  and  didn't  think  for  a  moment, 
that  he  was  in  any  danger  from  an  ignorant  backwoods 
bear  hunter.  But  I  found  I  couldn't  get  off,  and  so  I  de 
termined  just  to  go  ahead,  and  leave  it  to  chance  what  I 
should  say.  I  got  up  and  told  the  people  I  reckoned 
they  know'd  what  I  had  come  for,  but  if  not,  I  could 
tell  them.  I  had  come  for  their  votes,  and  if  they  didn't 
watch  mighty  close  I'd  get  them  too.  But  the  worst  of 
all  was,  that  I  could  not  tell  them  anything  abo  jt  govern 
ment.  I  tried  to  speak  about  something,  and  I  cared 
very  little  what,  until  I  choaked  up  as  bad  as  if  my 
mouth  had  been  jamm'd  and  cramm'd  chock  full  of  dry 
mush.  There  the  people  stood,  listening  all  the  while, 
with  their  eyes,  mouths,  and  ears  all  open,  to  catch  every 
word  I  would  speak. 

At  last  I  told  them  I  was  like  a  fellow  I  had  heard  of 
not  long  before.  He  was  beating  on  the  head  of  an 
empty  barrel  near  the  road-side,  when  a  traveler,  who 
was  passing  along,  asked  him  what  he  was  doing  that 
for  ?  The  fellow  replied  that  there  was  some  cider  in 
that  barrel  a  few  days  before,  and  he  was  trying  to  see 


116  TELLS   STORIES. 

if  there  was  any  then,  but  if  there  was  he  couldn't  get 
at  it.  I  told  them  that  there  had  been  a  little  bit  of  a 
speech  in  me  a  while  ago,  but  I  believed  I  couldn't  get 
it  out.  They  all  roared  out  in  a  mighty  laugh,  and  I 
told  some  other  anecdotes,  equally  amusing  to  them,  and 
believing  I  had  them  in  a  first-rate  way,  I  quit  and  got 
down,  thanking  the  -people  for  their  attention.  But  1 
took  care  to  remark  that  I  was  as  dry  as  a  powder-horn, 
and  that  I  thought  it  was  time  for  us  all  to  wet  our 
whistles  a  little :  and  so  I  put  off  to  the  liquor  stand, 
and  was  followed  by  the  greater  part  of  the  crowd. 

I  felt  certain  this  was  necessary,  for  I  kncwed  my 
competitor  could  talk  government  matters  to  them  as 
easy  as  he  pleased.  He  had,  however,  mighty  few  left 
to  hear  him,  as  I  continued  with  the  crowd,  now  and 
then  taking  a  horn,  and  telling  good-humored  stories, 
till  he  was  done  speaking.  I  found  I  was  good  for  the 
votes  at  the  hunt,  and  when  we  broke  up  I  went  on  to 
the  town  of  Vernon,  which  was  the  same  they  wanted 
me  to  move.  Here  they  pressed  me  again  on  the  sub 
ject,  and  I  found  I  could  get  either  party  by  agreeing 
with  them.  But  I  told  them  I  didn't  know  whether  it 
would  be  right  or  not,  and  so  couldn't  promise  either 
way. 

Their  court  commenced  on  the  next  Monday,  as  the 
barbecue  was  on  a  Saturday,  and  the  candidates  for 
Governor  and  for  Congress,  as  well  as  my  competitor 
and  myself,  all  attended. 

The  thought  of  having  to  make  a  speech  made  my 
knees  feel  mighty  weak,  and  set  my  heart  to  fluttering 
almost  as  bad  as  my  first  love  scrape  with  the  Quaker's 


,      COLONEL    POLK.  117 

niet?*,  But  as  good  luck  would  have  it,  these  big  can 
didates  spoke  nearly  all  day,  and  when  they  quit,  the 
people  were  worn  out  with  fatigue,  which  afforded  me  'a 
good  apology  for  not  discussing  the  government.  But 
I  listened  mighty  close  to  them,  and  was  learning  pretty 
fast  about  political  matters.  When  they  were  all  done, 
I  got  up  and  told  some  laughable  story,  and  quit.  1 
found  I  was  safe  in  those  parts,  and  so  I  went  home, 
and  did  not  go  back  again  till  after  the  election  was 
over.  But  to  cut  this  matter  short,  I  was  elected,  dou 
bling  my  competitor,  and  nine  votes  over. 

A  short  time  after  this,  I  was  in  Pulaski,  where  I  met 
with  Colonel  Polk,  now  a  member  of  Congress  from 
Tennessee.*  He  was  at  that  time  a  member  elected  to 
the  Legislature,  as  well  as  myself;  and  in  a  large  com 
pany  he  said  to  me,  "  Well,  colonel,  I  suppose  we  shall 
have  a  radical  change  of  the  judiciary  at  the  next  ses 
sion  of  the  Legislature."  "Very  likely,  sir,"  says  I; 
and  I  put  out  quicker,  for  I  was  afraid  some  one  would 
ask  me  what  the  judiciary  was ;  and  if  I  knowed  I  wish 
I  may  be  shot.  I  don't  indeed  believe  I  had  ever  before 
heard  that  there  was  any  such  thing  in  all  nature ;  but 
still  I  was  not  willing  that  the  people  there  should  kno^ 
how  ignorant  I  was  about  it. 

When  the  time  for  meeting  of  the  Legislature  arrived, 
[  went  on,  and  before  I  had  been  there  long,  I  could 
Imve  told  what  the  judiciary  was,  and  what  the  govern 
ment  was  too  ;  and  many  other  things  that  I  had  known 
nothing  about  before. 

*  Subsequently  President  of  the  United  State? 


118  FAILURE, 

About  this  time  I  met  with  a  very  severe  misfortune, 
which  I  may  be  pardoned  for  naming,  as  it  made  a  great 
change  in  my  circumstances,  and  kept  me  back  very 
much  in  the  world.  I  had  built  an  extensive  grist  mill, 
and  powder  mill,  all  connected  together,  and  also  a  large 
distillery.  They  had  cost  me  upwards  of  three  thou 
sand  dollars  ;  more  than  I  was  worth  in  the  world.  The 
first  news  that  I  heard  after  I  got  to  the  Legislature, 
was,  that  my  mills  were — not  blown  up  sky  high,  as  you 
would  guess,  by  my  powder  establishment — but  swept 
away  all  to  smash  by  a  large  fresh,  that  came  soon  after 
I  left  home.  I  had,  of  course,  to  stop  niy  distillery,  as 
my  grinding  was  broken  up ;  and,  indeed,  I  may  say, 
that  the  misfortune  just  made  a  complete  mash  of  me. 
I  had  some  likely  negroes,  and  a  good  stock  of  almost 
everything  about  me,  and,  best  of  all,  I  had  an  honest 
wife.  She  didn't  advise  me,  as  is  too  fashionable,  to 
smuggle  up  this,  and  that,  and  t'other,  to  go  on  at 
home  ;  but  she  told  me,  says  she,  "  Just  pay  up,  as  long 
as  you  have  a  bit's  worth  in  the  world ;  and  then  every 
body  will  be  satisfied,  and  we  will  scuffle  for  more." 
This  was  just  such  talk  as  I  wanted  to  hear,  for  a  man's 
wife  can  hold  him  devilish  uneasy,  if  she  begins  to  scold 
and  fret,  and  perplex  him,  at  a  time  when  he  has  a  full 
load  for  a  railroad  car  on  his  mind  already. 

And  so,  you  see,  I  determined  not  to  break  full 
handed,  but  thought  it  better  to  keep  a  good  conscience 
with  an  empty  purse,  than  to  get  a  bad  opinion  of  my 
self,  with  a  full  one.  I  therefore  gave  up  all  I  had,  and 
took  a  bran-fire  new  start. 


CHAPTER   XI. 

Colonel  Crockett  emigrates  again — Difficult  journey — Visit  to  Mr, 
Owens — Boating — Hunting — Pla,  ^ng- — The  Full's  hunt — Perilous 
winter  journey  to  get  a  cask  of  powder — Success. 

HAVING  returned  from  the  Legislature,  I  determined 
to  make  another  move,  and  so  I  took  my  eldest  son  with 
me,  and  a  young  man  by  the  name  of  Abram  Henry, 
and  cut  out  for  the  Obion.  I  selected  a  spot  when  I 
got  there,  where  I  determined  to  settle ;  and  the  nearest 
house  to  it  was  seven  miles,  the  next  nearest  wa.s  fifteen, 
and  so  on  to  twenty.  It  was  a  complete  wilderness,  and 
full  of  Indians  who  were  hunting.  Game  was  plenty 
of  almost  every  kind,  which  suited  me  exactly,  as  I  was 
always  fond  of  hunting.  The  house  which  was  nearest 
me,  and  which,  as  I  have  already  stated,  was  seven  miles 
off,  and  on  the  different  side  of  the  Obion  river,  belonged 
to  a  man  by  the  name  of  Owens ;  and  I  started  to  go 
there.  I  had  taken  ofle  horse  along,  to  pack  our  provi 
sion,  and  when  J  got  to  the  water  I  hobbled  him  out  to 
graze,  until  I  got  back ;  as  there  was  no  boat  to  cross 
the  river  in,  and  it  was  so  high  that  it  had  overflowed  all 
the  bottoms  and  low  country  near  it. 

We  now  took  water  like  so  many  beavers,  not  with 
standing  it  was  mighty  cold,  and  waded  on.  The  water 
would  sometimes  be  up  to  our  necks,  and  at  others  Dot 

(UP) 


120  DIFFICULT   JOURNEY. 

so  deep ;  but  I  went,  of  course,  before,  and  carried  a 
pole,  -with  which  I  would  feel  along  before  me,  to  see 
bow  deep  it  was,  and  to  guard  against  falling  into  a 
slough,  as  there  was  many  in  our  way.  When  I  would 
come  to  one,  I  would  take  out  my  tomahawk  and  cut  a 
small  tree  across  it,  and  then  go  ahead  again.  Fre 
quently  my  little  son  would  have  to  swim,  even  where 
myself  and  the  young  man  could  wade ;  but  we  worked 
on  till  at  last  we  got  to  *Lo  channel  of  the  river,  which 
made  it  about  half  a  mile  we  had  waded  from  where  we 
took  water.  I  saw  a  large  tree  that  had  fallen  into  the 
river  from  the  other  side,  but  it  did  not  reach  across. 
One  stood  on  the  same  bank  where  we  were,  that  I 
thought  I  could  fall,  so  as  to  reach  the  other ;  and  so  at 
it  we  went  with  my  tomahawk,  cutting  away  till  we  got 
it  down ;  and,  as  good  luck  would  have  it,  it  fell  right, 
and  made  us  a  way  that  we  could  pass. 

When  we  got  over  this,  it  was  still  a  sea  of  water  as 
far  as  our  eyes  could  reach.  We  took  into  it  again,  and 
went  ahead,  for  about  a  mile,  hardly  ever  seeing  a  single 
spot  of  land,  and  sometimes  very  deep.  At  last  we 
came  in  sight  of  land,  which  was  a  very  pleasing  thing ; 
and  when  we  got  out,  we  went  but  a  little  way,  before 
we  came  in  sight  of  the  house,  which  was  more  pleasing 
than  ever ;  for  we  were  wet  all  over,  and  mighty  ec  Id. 
I  felt  mighty  sorry  when  I  would  look  at  my  little  b->y, 
and  see  him  shaking  like  he  had  the  worst  sort  of  an 
ague,  for  there  was  no  time  for  fever  then.  As  Tve  got 
near  to  the  house,  we  saw  Mr.  Owens  and  several  men 
chat  were  with  him,  just  starting  away.  They  saw  us, 
and  stopp'd,  but  looked  much  astonished  until  we  got 


VISIT   TO    MR.    OWENS.  121 

np  to  them,  and  I  made  myself  known.  The  men  who 
were  with  him  were  the  owners  of  a  boat  which  was  the 
first  that  ever  went  that  far  up  the  Obion  river ;  and 
some  hands  he  had  hired  to  carry  it  about  a  hundred 
miles  still  further  up,  by  water,  though  it  was  only  about 
thirty  by  land,  as  the  river  is  very  crooked. 

They  all  turned  back  to  the  house  with  me,  where  I 
found  Mrs.  Owens,  a  fine,  friendly  old  woman  ;  and  her 
kindness  to  my  little  boy  did  me  ten  times  as  much  good 
as  anything  she  could  have  done  for  me,  if  she  had  tried 
her  best  The  old  gentleman  set  out  his  bottle  to  us, 
and  I  concluded  that  if  a  horn  wasa't  good  then,  there 
was  no  use  for  its  invention.  So  I  swigg'd  off  about  a 
half  a  pint,  and  the  young  man  was  by  no  means  bashful 
in  such  a  case  ;  he  took  a  strong  pull  at  it  too.  I  then 
gave  my  boy  some,  and  in  a  little  time  we  felt  pretty 
well.  We  dried  ourselves  by  the  fire,  and  were  asked  to 
go  on  board  the  boat  that  evening.  I  agreed  to  do  so, 
but  left  my  son  with  the  old  lady,  and  myself  and  the 
young  man  went  to  the  boat  with  Mr.  Owens  and  the 
others.  The  boat  was  loaded  with  whiskey,  flour,  sugar, 
coffee,  salt,  castings,  and  other  articles  suitable  for  the 
country ;  and  they  were  to  receive  five  hundred  dollars 
to  land  the  load  at  McLemore's  Bluff,  beside  the  profit 
they  could  make  on  their  load.  This  was  merely  to  show 
that  boats  could  get  up  to  that  point.  We  staid  all  night 
with  them,  and  had  a  high  night  of  it,  as  I  took  steam 
enough  to  drive  out  all  the  cold  that  was  in  me,  and 
about  three  times  as  much  more.  In  the  morning,  we 
concluded  to  go  on  with  the  boat  to  where  a  great  harri- 
eaw  had  crossed  tie  river,  and  blowed  all  the  timber 


122  BOATING. 

down  into  it.  -  When  we  got  there,  we  found  the  river 
was  falling  fast,  and  concluded  we  couldn't  get  through 
the  timber  without  more  rise  ;  so  we  dropp'd  down  oppo 
site  Mr.  Owens'  again  where  they  determined  to  wait  for 
more  water. 

The  next  day  it  rained  rip-roariously,  and  the  river 
rose  pretty  considerable,  but  not  enough  yet.  And  so  I 
got  the  boatsmen  all  to  go  out  with  me  to  where  I  was 
going  to  settle,  and  we  slapped  up  a  cabin  in  little  or  no 
time.  I  got  from  the  boat  four  barrels  of  meal,  and  one 
of  salt,  and  about  ten  gallons  of  whiskey. 

To  pay  for  these,  I  agreed  to  go  with  the  boat  up  the 
river  to  their  landing  place.  I  got  also  a  large  middling 
of  bacon,  and  killed  a  fine  deer,  and  left  them  for  my 
young  man  and  my  little  boy,  who  were  to  stay  at  my 
cabin  till  I  got  back,  which  I  expected  would  be  in  six 
or  seven  days.  We  cut  out  and  moved  up  to  the  hurri 
cane,  where  we  stopp'd  for  the  night.  In  the  morning, 
I  started  about  daylight  intending  to  kill  a  deer,  as  I  had 
no  thought  they  would  get  the  boat  through  the  timber 
that  day.  I  had  gone  but  a  little  way  before  I  killed  a 
fine  buck,  and  started  to  go  back  to  the  boat ;  but  on  the 
way  I  came  on  the  tracks  of  a  large  gang  of  elks,  and  so 
I  took  after  them.  I  had  followed  them  only  a  little 
distance  when  I  saw  them,  and  directly  after  I  saw  two 
laige  bucks.  I  shot  one  down,  and  the  other  wouldn't 
leave  him  ;  so  I  loaded  my  gun  and  shot  him  down  too. 
I  hung  them  up,  and  went  ahead  again  after  my  elks.  I 
pursued  on  till  after  the  middle  of  the  day  before  I  saw 
them  agnin  ;  but  they  took  the  hint  before  I  got  in  shoot 
ing  distance,  and  run  off.  I  still  pursued  on  till  late  in 


HUNTING.  123 

the  evening,  when  I  found  I  was  about  four  miles  frcro 
where  I  had  left  the  hoat,  and  as  hungry  as  a  wolf,  for  1 
ladii't  eaten  a  bite  that  day. 

I  started  down  the  edge  of  the  river  low  grounds  giv- 
ng  out  the  pursuit  of  my  elks,  and  hadn't  gone  hardly 
any  distance  at  all,  before  I  saw  two  more  bucks,  very 
large  fellows  too.  I  took  a  blizzard  at  one  of  them  and 
up  he  tumbled.  The  other  ran  off  a  few  jumps  and 
stopp'd  ;  and  stood  there  till  I  loaded  again,  and  fired  at 
him.  I  knock'd  his  trotters  from  under  him,  and  then 
I  hung  them  both  up.  I  pushed  on  again,  and  about  sun 
set  I  saw  three  other  bucks.  I  down'd  with  one  of  them 
and  the  other  two  ran  off.  I  hung  this  ont,  op  also,  hav 
ing  now  killed  six  that  day.  I  then  pushed  on  till  I  got 
to  the  harricane,  and  at  the  lower  edge  of  it,  about  where 
I  expected  the  boat  was.  Here  I  hollered  as  hard  as  I 
coul'i  roar,  but  could  get  no  answer.  I  fired  off  my  gun, 
and  the  men  on  the  boat  fired  one  too  ;  but  quite  con 
trary  to  my  expectation,  they  had  got  through  the  tim 
ber,  and  were  about  two  miles  above  me.  It  was  now 
dark,  and  I  had  to  crawl  through  the  fallen  timber  the 
best  \\ay  I  could;  and  if  the  reader  don't  know  it  was 
bad  enough,  I  am  sure  I  do.  For  the  vines  and  briers 
had  grown  all  through  it,  and  so  thick  that  a  good  fat 
coon  couldn't  much  more  than  get  along.  I  got  through 
at  last,  and  went  on  near  to  where  I  had  killed  my  last 
doer,  and  once  more  fired  off  my  gun,  which  was  again 
answered  from  the  boat  which  was  still  a  little  above  me, 
I  moved  on  as  fast  as  I  could,  but  soon  came  to  water , 
and  not  knowing  how  deep  it  was  I  halted,  and  hollered 
till  they  came  to  rne  with  a  skiff.  I  now  got  to  the  boat, 


124  PLANTING. 

without  further  difficulty  ;  but  the  briers  had  worked  on 
me  at  such  a  rate  that  I  felt  like  I  wanted  sewing  up  all 
over.  I  took  a  pretty  stiff  horn,  which  soon  made  me 
feel  much  better ;  but  I  was  so  tired  that  I  could  hardlv 
work  my  jaws  to  eat. 

In  the  morning,  myself  and  a  young  man  started  and 
brought  in  the  first  buck  I  had  killed,  and  after  break 
fast  we  went  and  brought  in  the  last  one.  The  boat 
then  started,  but  we  again  went  and  got  the  two  I  had 
killed  just  as  I  turned  down  the  river  in  the  evening  ; 
and  we  then  pushed  on  and  overtook  the  boat,  leaving 
the  other  two  hanging  in  the  woods,  as  we  had  now  as 
much  as  we  wanted. 

We  got  up  the  river  very  well,  but  quite  slowly,  and 
we  landed  on  the  eleventh  day  at  the  place  the  load  was 
delivered  at.  They  here  gave  me  their  skiff,  and  my 
self  and  a  young  man  by  the  name  of  Flavius  Harris, 
who  had  determined  to  go  and  liye  with  me,  cut  out  down 
the  river  for  my  cabin,  which  we  reached  safely  enough. 

We  turned  in,  and  cleared  a  field  and  planted  our 
corn  ;  but  it  was  so  late  in  the  spring  we  had  no  time  to 
make  rails,  and  therefore  we  put  no  fence  around  our 
field.  There  was  no  stock,  however,  nor  anything  else 
to  disturb  our  corn  except  the  wild  varments,  and  the  old 
serpent  himself,  with  a  fence  to  help  him,  couldn't  keep 
them  out.  I  made  corn  enough  to  do  me,  and  iuring 
that  spring  I  killed  ten  bears,  and  a  great  abundance  of 
deer.  But  in  all  this  time,  we  saw  the  face  of  no  white 
person  in  that  country,  except  Mr.  Owens'  family  and  a 
very  few  passengers,  who  went  out  there  looking  at  the 
country.  Indians,  though,  were  still  plenty  enough. 


THE  FALLS'  HUNT.  12?> 

Having  laid  by  my  crap,  I  went  home,  which  was  a  dis 
tance  of  about  a  hundred  and  fifty  miles,  and  when  I  got 
there  I  was  met  by  an  order  to  attend  a  call-sessio'n  of 
our  Legislature.  I  attended  at,  and  served  out  my  time, 
and  then  returned  and  took  my  family  and  what  little 
plunder  I  had,  and  moved  to  where  I  had  built  my  cabin, 
and  made  my  crap. 

I  gathered  my  corn,  and  then  set  out  for  my  Fall's 
hunt.  This  was  in  the  last  of  October,  1822.  I  found 
bear  very  plenty,  and,  indeed,  all  sorts  of  game  and  wild 
varments,  except  buffalo.  There  was  none  of  t  em. 
I  hunted  on  till  Christmas,  having  supplied  my  family 
very  well  all  along  with  wild  meat,  at  which  time  my  powder 
gave  out ;  and  I  had  none  either  to  fire  Christmas  guns, 
which  is  very  common  in  that  country,  or  to  hunt  with. 
I  had  a  brother-in-law  who  had  now  moved  out  and  set 
tled  about  six  miles  west  of  me,  on  the  opposite  side  of 
Rutherford's  fork  of  the  Obion  river,  and  he  had  brought 
me  a  keg  of  powder,  but  I  had  never  gotten  it  home. 
There  had  just  been  another  of  Noah's  freshes,  and  the 
low  grounds  were  flooded  all  over  with  water.  I  know'd 
the  stream  was  at  least  a  mile  wide  which  I  would  have 
to  cross,  as  the  water  was  from  hill  to  hill,  and  yet  I  de 
termined  to  go  on  over  in  some  way  or  other,  so  as  to 
get  my  powder.  I  told  this  to  my  wife,  and  she  imme 
diately  opposed  it  with  all  her  might  I  still  insisted, 
telling  her  we  had  no  powder  for  Chrisfrnas,  and,  worse 
than  all,  we  were  out  of  meat.  She  said,  we  had  as  well 
starve  as  for  me  to  freeze  to  death  or  to  get  drowned, 
and  one  or  the  other  was  certain  if  I  attempted  to  go. 

But  I  didn't  believe  the  half  of  this ;  and  so  I  took 


126  PERILOUS   WINTER   JOURNEY. 

TOY  woolen  wrappers,  and  a  pair  of  moccasins,  and  put 
them  on,  and  tied  up  some  dry  clothes,  and  a  pair  of 
shoes  and  stockings,  and  started.  But  I  didn't  before 
know  how  much  anybody  could  suffer  and  not  die.  This, 
and  some  of  my  other  experiments  in  water,  learned  me 
something  about  it,  and  I  therefore  relate  them. 

The  snow  was  about  four  inches  deep  when  I  started: 
and  \\hen  I  got  to  the  water,  which  was  only  about  a 
quarter  of  a  mile  off,  it  looked  like  an  ocean.  I  put  in, 
and  waded  on  till  I  come  to  the  channel,  where  I  crossed 
that  on  a  high  log.  I  then  took  water  again,  having  my 
gun  and  all  my  hunting  tools  along,  and  waded  till  I 
cam?  to  a  deep  slough,  that  was  wider  than  the  river 
itself.  I  had  crossed  it  often  on  a  log ;  but  behold,  when 
I  got  there,  no  log. was  to  be  seen.  I  knowed  of  an 
island  in  the  slough,  and  a  sapling  stood^  on  it  close  to 
the  side  of  that  log,  which  was  now  entirely  under  water. 
I  knowed  further,  that  the  water  was  about  eight  or  ten 
feet  deep  under  the  log,  and  I  judged  it  to  be  about 
three  feet  deep  over  it.  After  studying  a  little  what  I 
should  do,  I  determined  to  cut  a  forked  sapling,  which 
stood  near  me,  so  as  to  lodge  it  against  the  one  that 
stood  on  the  island,  in  which  I  succeeded  very  well.  I 
then  cut  me  a  pole,  and  then  crawled  along  on  my  sap 
ling  till  I  got  to  the  one  it  was  lodged  against,  >vhich 
was  about  six  feet  above  the  water.  I  then  felt  about 
with  my  pole  till  I  found  the  log,  which  was  just  about 
as  deep  under  the  water  as  I  had  judged.  I  then 
crawled  back  and  got  my  gun,  which  I  had  left  at  the 
itump  of  the  sapling  I  had  cut,  and  again  made  my  vvay 
fo  tiie  place  of  lodgment,  and  then  climbed  down  the 


NARROW    ESCAPE.  127 

other  sapling  so  as  to  get  on  the  log.  I  then  felt  my 
way  along  with  my  feet,  in  the  water,  about  waist  deep,  but 
it  was  a  mighty  ticklish  business.  However,  I  got  over, 
and  by  this  time  I  had  very  little  feeling  in  my  feet  and 
legs,  as  I  had  been  all  the  time  in  the  water,  except 
what  time  I  was  crossing  the  high  log  over  the  river,  and 
climbing  my  lodged  sapling. 

I  went  but  a  short  distance  before  I  came  to  another 
blough,  over  which  there  was  a  log,  but  it  was  floating  on 
the  water.  I  thought  I  could  walk  it,  and  so  I  mounted 
on  it ;  but  when  I  had  got  about  the  middle  of  the  deep 
water,  somehow  or  somehow  else,  it  turned  over,  and  in 
I  went  up  to  my  head.  I  waded  out  of  this  deep  water, 
and  went  ahead  till  I  came  to  the  highland,  where  I 
stopp'd  to  pull  off  my  wet  clothes,  and  put  on  the  others, 
which  I  had  held  up  with  my  gun,  above  the  water,  when 
I  fell  in.  I  got  them  on,  but  my  flesh  had  no  feeling  in 
it,  I  was  so  cold.  I  tied  up  the  wet  ones,  and  hung- 
them  up  in  a  bush.  I  now  thought  I  would  run,  so  as 
to  warm  myself  a  little,  but  I  couldn't  raise  a  trot  for 
some  time;  indeed,  I  couldn't  step  more  than  half  the 
length  of  my  foot.  After  a  while  I  got  better,  and  went 
on  five  miles  to  the  house  of  my  brother-in-law,  having 
not  even  smelt  fire  from  the  time  I  started.  I  got  there 
late  in  the  evening,  and  he  was  much  astonished  at  see 
ing  me  at  such  a  time.  I  staid  all  night,  and  the  next 
morning  was  most  piercing  cold,  and  so  they  persuaded 
me  not  to  go  home  that  day.  I  agreed,  and  turned  out 
und  killed  him  two  deer;  but  the  weather  still  got  worse 
and  colder,  instead  of  better  I  staid  that  night,  and  in 
the  morning  they  still  insisted  I  couldn't  get  homo  I 


128          COLONEL   CROCKETT   GETS   THE   POWDER. 

knowed  the  water  would  be  frozen  over,  but  not  hard 
enough  to  bear  me,  and  so  I  agreed  to  stay  that  day.  1 
went  out  hunting  again,  and  pursued  a  big  he-bear  ail 
day,  but  didn't  kill  him.  The  next  morning  was  bitter 
cold,  but  I  knowed  mj  family  was  without  meat,  and  I 
determined  to  get  home  to  them,  or  die  a-trying. 

I  took  my  keg  of  powder,  and  all  my  hunting  tools, 
and  cut  out.  When  I  got  to  the  water,  it  was  a  sheet 
of  ice  as  far  as  I  could  see.  I  put  on  to  it,  but  hadn't 
got  far  before  it  broke  through  with  me ;  and  so  I  took 
out  my  tomahawk,  and  broke  my  way  along  before  me 
for  a  considerable  distance.  At  last  I  got  to  where  the 
ice  would  bear  me  for  a  short  distance,  and  I  mounted 
on  it,  and  went  ahead ;  but  it  soon  broke  in  again,  and  I 
had  to  wade  on  till  I  came  to  my  floating  log.  I  found 
it  so  tight  this  time,  that  I  know'd  it  couldn't  give  me 
another  fall,  as  it  was  frozen  in  with  the  ice.  I  crossed 
over  it  without  much  difficulty,  and  worked  along  till  I 
got  to  my  lodged  sapling,  and  my  log  under  the  water. 
The  swiftness  of  the  current  prevented  the  water  from 
freezing  over  it,  and  so  I  had  to  wade,  just  as  I  did  when 
I  crossed  it  before.  When  I  got  to  my  sapling,  I  left 
my  gun,  and  climbed  out  with  my  powder  keg  first,  and 
then  went  back  and  got  my  gun.  By  this  time  I  was 
nearly  frozen  to  death,  but  I  saw  all  along  before  me, 
where  the  ice  had  been  fresh  broke,  and  I  thought  it 
must  be  a  bear  straggling  about  in  the  water.  I,  therefore, 
fresh  primed  my  gun,  and,  cold  as  I  was,  I  was  deter 
mined  to  make  war  on  him,  if  we  met.  But  I  followed 
the  trail  till  it  led  me  home,  and  I  then  found  it  had  been 


MIGHTY   NEAR    DEAD.  129 

made  by  my  young  man  that  lived  with  me,  who  had 
been  sent  by  my  distressed  wife  to  see,  if  he  could,  what 
had  become  of  me,  for  they  all  believed  that  I  was  dead. 
When  I  got  home,  I  wasn't  quite  dead,  but  mighty  nigh 
it ;  but  had  my  powder,  and  that  was  what  I  went  for.  * 

*  This  incident  of  the  difficult  and  perilous  journey,  for  the  purpose 
of  obtaining  a  cask  of  powder,  is  one  of  the  most  remarkable  and 
characteristic  in  the  whole  narrative.  It  exhibits  that  determined 
and  resolute  perseverance  which  raised  Crockett  from  the  humbleai 
Btation  to  a  position,  which  attracted  the  notice  and  the  admiration 
of  the  whole  country.  How  important  the  acquisition  of  this  pow 
der  was,  will  appear  in  the  sequel. 


CHAPTER    XII. 

A.11  hands  turn  out  for  a  hunt — Colonel  Crockett  goes  after  Bear— 
Kills  two  wild  turkeys — Encounters  a  very  big  Bear— Three  shote 
fired — Bear  killed — Weighs  600  Ibs— Difficulty  in  getting  him 
home — Colonel  Crockett  supplies  his  family  with  provisions  by 
hunting. 

THAT  night  there  fell  a  heavy  rain,  and  it  turned  to  a 
sleet  In  the  morning  all  hands  turned  out  hunting. 
My  young  man,  and  a  brother-in-law  who  had  lately  set 
tled  close  by  me,  went  down  the  river  to  hunt  for  tur 
keys  ;  'but  I  was  for  larger  game.  I  told  them  I  had 
dreamed  the  night  before  of  having  had  a  hard  fight  with 
a  big  black  nigger,  and  I  know'd  it  was  a  sign  that  I 
was  to  have  a  battle  with  a  bear ;  for  in  a  bear  country, 
I  never  know'd  such  a  dream  to  fail.  So  I  started  to 
go  up  above  the  hurricane,  determined  to  have  a  bear. 
I  had  two  pretty  good  dogs,  and  an  old  hound,  all  of 
which  I  took  along.  I  had  gone  about  six  miles  up  the 
river,  and  it  was  then  about  four  miles  across  to  the  main 
Obion ;  so  I  determined  to  strike  across  to  that,  as  I  had 
found  nothing  yet  to  kill.  I  got  on  to  the  river,  and 
turned  down  it ;  but  the  sleet  was  still  getting  worse  and 
worse.  The  bushes  were  all  bent  down  and  locked  to 
gether  with  ice,  so  that  it  was  almost  impossible  to  get 
along.  In  a  little  time  my  dogs  started  a  large  gang  of 
(  130) 


COLONEL   CROCKETT   KILLS   TURKEYS.  131 

old  turkey  gobblers,  and  I  killed  two  of  them  cf  the  big 
gest  sort.  I  shouldered  them  up,  and  moved  on,  until  I 
got  through  the  hurricane,  when  I  was  so  tired  that  I 
laid  my  gobblers  down  to  rest,  as  they  were  confounded 
heavy,  and  I  was  mighty  tired.  While  I  was  resting, 
my  old  hound  went  to  a  log,  and  smelt  it  awhile,  and 
then  raised  his  eyes  towards  the  sky,  and  cried  out. 
Away  he  went,  and  my  other  dogs  with  him,  and  I 
shouldered  up  my  turkeys  again,  and  followed  on  as  hard 
as  I  could  drive.  They  were  soon  out  of  sight,  and  in  a 
very  little  time  I  heard  them  begin  to  bark.  When  I 
got  to  them  they  were  barking  up  a  tree,  but  there  was 
no  game  there.  I  concluded  it  had  been  a  turkey,  and 
that  it  had  flew  away. 

When  they  saw  me  coming,  away  they  went  again; 
and,  after  a  little  time,  began  to  bark  as  before.  When 
I  got  near  them,  I  found  they  were  barking  up  the 
wrong  tree  again,  as  there  was  no  game  there.  They 
served  me  in  this  way  three  or  four  times,  until  I  was  so 
infernal  mad,  that  I  determined,  if  I  could  get  near 
enough,  to  shoot  the  old  hound  at  least.  With  this  in 
tention,  I  pushed  on  the  harder,  till  I  came  to  the  edge 
of  an  open  prairie,  and  looking  on  before  my  dogs,  I 
saw  in  and  about  the  biggest  bear  that  ever  was  seen  in 
America.  He  looked,  at  the  distance  he  was  from  me, 
like  a  large  black  bull.  My  dogs  were  afraid  to  attack 
him,  and  that  was  the  reason  they  had  stopp'd  so  often, 
that  I  might  overtake  them.  They  were  now  almost  up 
with  him,  and  I  took  my  gobblers  from  my  back  and  hung 
them  up  in  a  sapling,  and  broke  like  a  quarter  horse 
after  my  bear,  for  the  sight  of  him  had  put  new  springs 


132  ENCOUNTER   WITH   A   BIG   BEAR. 

in  me.  I  soon  got  near  to  them,  but  they  were  just 
getting  into  a  roaring  thicket,  and  so  I  couldn't  run 
through  it,  but  had  to  pick  my  way  along,  and  had  close 
work  even  at  that. 

In  a  little  time  f  saw  the  bear  climbing  up  a  large 
black  oak  tree,  and  I  crawled  on  until  I  got  within  about 
eighty  yards  of  him.  He  was  setting  with  his  breast  to 
me ;  and  so  I  put  fresh  priming  in  my  gun,  and  fired  at 
him.  At  this  he  raised  one  of  his  paws  and  snorted 
loudly.  I  loaded  again  as  quick  as  I  could,  and  fired  as 
near  the  same  place  in  his  breast  as  possible.  At  the 
crack  of  my  gun  here  he  came  tumbling  down;  and  the 
moment  he  touched  the  ground,  I  heard  one  of  my  best 
dogs  cry  out.  I  took  my  tomahawk  in  one  hand,  and 
my  big  butcher-knife  in  the  other,  and  run  up  within 
four  or  five  paces  of  him,  at  which  he  let  my  dog  go,  and 
fixed  his  eyes  on  me.  I  got  back  in  all  sorts  of  a  hurry, 
for  I  knowed  if  he  got  hold  of  me,  he  would  hug  me 
altogether  too  close  for  comfort.  I  went  to  my  gun  and 
hastily  loaded  her  again,  and  shot  him  the  third  time, 
which  killed  him  good. 

I  now  began  to  think  about  getting  him  home,  but  I 
didn't  know  how  far  it  was.  So  I  left  him  and  started ; 
and  in  order  to  find  him  again,  I  would  blaze  a  sapling 
every  little  distance,  which  would  show  me  the  way  back. 
I  continued  this  until  I  got  within  about  a  mile  of  home, 
for  there  I  knowed  very  well  where  I  was,  and  that  I 
could  easily  find  my  way  back  to  my  blazes.  When  I 
got  home,  I  took  my  brother-in-law,  and  my  young  man, 
and  four  horses,  and  went  back.  We  got  there  just 
before  dark,  and  struck  up  a  fire,  and  commenced  butch- 


BEAR   KILLED.  133 

ering  my  bear.  It  was  some  time  in  the  night  before 
we  finished  it;  and  I  can  assert,  on  my  honor,  that  I 
believe  he  would  have  weighed  six  hundred  pounds.  It 
was  the  second  largest  I  ever  saw.  I  killed  one,  a  few 
years  after,  that  weighed  six  hundred  and  seventeen 
pounds.  I  now  felt  fully  compensated  for  my  sufferings 
in  going  after  my  powder;  and  well  satisfied  that  a  dog 
might  sometimes  be  doing  a  good  business,  even  when  he 
seemed  to  be  barking  up  the  wrong  tree.  We  got  our 
meat  home,  and  I  had  the  pleasure  to  know  that  we  now 
had  plenty,  and  that  of  the  best ;  and  I  continued  through 
the  winter  to  supply  my  family  abundantly  with  bear- 
meat  and  venison  from  the  woods.* 

*  The  bear  appears  to  have  been  the  Colonel's  frvorite  game. 
Indeed,  with  the  exception  of  the  deer  and  the  wild  turVey,  it  seems 
there  was  no  other  large  game  to  be  found  in  that  part  of  Tennessee 
where  he  was  settled.  Buffaloes  were  only  to  be  found  farther  to  the 
wetst  and  panthers  were  very  rare. 


CHAPTER   XIII. 

Colonel  Crockett  sells  his  peltry — Meets  influential  politicians  at 
Jackson — Is  invited  to  become  a  candidate  for  the  Legislature — 
Declines — Is  advertised  for  the  office  without  his  consent — Deter 
mines  to  run — Meets  his  opponent — His  amusing  and  character 
istic  description  of  his  manner  of  electioneering — Two  other  can 
didates  proposed — Colonel  Crockett  is  elected — Votes  against 
General  Jackson  for  Senator — Colonel  Crockett  proposed  as  a 
candidate  for  Congress — He  is  defeated — Proposed  again  for  the 
next  Congress. 

I  HAD  on  hand  a  great  many  skins,  and  so,  in  the 
month  of  February,  I  packed  a  horse  with  them,  and 
taking  my  eldest  son  along  with  me,  cut  out  for  a  little 
town  called  Jackson,  situated  about  forty  miles  off.  "VVe 
got  there  well  enough,  and  I  sold  my  skins,  and  bought 
me  some  coffee,  and  sugar,  powder,  lead,  and  salt.  I 
packed  them  all  up  in  readiness  for  a  start,  which  I  in 
tended  to  make  early  the  next  morning.  Morning  came, 
but  I  concluded,  before  I  started,  I  would  go  and  take  a 
horn  with  some  of  my  old  fellow-soldiers  that  I  had  met 
with  at  Jackson. 

I  did  so;  and  while  we  were  engaged  in  this,  I  met 
with  three  candidates  for  the  Legislature.  A  Doctor 
Butler,  who  was,  by  marriage,  a  nephew  to  General 
Jackson,  a  Major  Lynn,  and  a  Mr.  McEver,  all  first-rate 
men.  We  all  took  a  horn  together,  and  some  person 

(134) 


ELECTIONEERING.  185 

present  said  to  me,  "  Crockett,  you  must  offer  for  the 
Legislature."  I  told  him  1  lived  at  least  forty  miles 
from  any  white  settlement;  and  had  no  thought  of  he- 
coming  a  candidate  at  that  time.  So  we  all  parted,  and 
I  and  my  little  boy  went  on  home. 

It  was  about  a  week  or  two  after  this,  that  a  man  came 
to  my  house,  and  told  me  I  was  a  candidate.  I  told 
him  not  so.  But  he  took  out  a  newspaper  from  his 
pocket,  and  showed  me  where  I  was  announced.  I  said 
to  my  wife  that  this  was  all  a  burlesque  on  me,  but  I 
was  determined  to  make  it  cost  the  man  who  had  put  it 
there  at  least  the  value  of  the  printing,  and  of  the  fun 
he  wanted  at  my  expense.  So  I  hired  a  young  man  to 
work  in  my  place  on  my  farm,  and  turned  out  myself 
electioneering.  I  hadn't  been  out  long,  before  I  found 
the  people  began  to  talk  very  much  about  the  bear.hunter, 
the  man  from  the  cane ;  and  the  three  gentlemen,  who  I 
have  already  named,  soon  found  it  necessary  to  enter 
into  an  agreement  to  have  a  sort  of  caucus  at  their 
March  court,  to  determine  which  of  them  was  the 
strongest,  and  the  other  two  was  to  withdraw  and  support 
him.  As  the  court  came  on,  each  one  of  them  spread 
himself,  to  secure  the  nomination;  but  it  fell  on  Dr. 
Butler,  and  the  rest  backed  out.  The  doctor  was  a 
clever  fellow,  and  I  have  often  said  he  was  the  most 
talented  man  I  ever  run  against  for  any  office.  His  being 
related  to  General  Jackson  also  helped  him  on  very 
much ;  but  I  was  in  for  it,  and  I  was  determined  to  push 
ahead  and  go  through,  or  stick.  Their  meeting  was  held 
in  Madison  county,  which  was  the  strongest  in  the  repre 
sentative  district,  which  was  composed  of  eleven  counties. 


136  ELECTIONEERING. 

and   they   seemed    bent   on   having   the   member  from 
there. 

At  this  time  Colonel  Alexander  was  a  candidate  for 
Congress,  and  attending  one  of  his  public  meetings  one 
day,  I  walked  to  where  he  was  treating  the  people,  and 
he  gave  me  an  introduction  to  several  of  his  acquaint 
ances,  and  informed  them  that  I  was  out  electioneering. 
In  a  little  time  my  competitor,  Doctor  Butler,  came 
along ;  he  passed  by  without  noticing  me,  and  I  supposed, 
he  did  not  recognize  me.  But  I  hailed  him,  as  I  was  for 
all  sorts  of  fun ;  and  when  he  turned  to  me,  I  said  to 
him,  "  Well,  doctor,  I  suppose  they  have  weighed  you 
out  to  me;  but  I  should  like  to  know  why  they  fixed 
your  election  for  March  instead  of  August?  This -is," 
said  I,  "  a  branfire  new  way  of  doing  business,  if  a  caucus 
is  to  make  a  representative  for  the  people !"  He  now 
discovered  who  I  was,  and  cried  out,  "  D — n  it,  Crockett, 
is  that  you?"  u  Be  sure  it  is,"  said  I,  "but  I  don't 
want  it  understood  that  I  have  come  electioneering.  I 
have  just  crept  out  of  the  cane,  to  see  what  discoveries  I 
could  make  among  the  white  folks."  '  I  told  him  that 
when  I  set  out  electioneering,  I  would  go  prepared  to 
put  every  man  on  as  good  a  footing  when  I  left  him  as 
I  found  him  on.  I  would  therefore  have  me  a  large 
buckskin  hunting-shirt  made,  with  a  couple  of -pockets 
holding  about  a  peck  each  ;  and  that  in  one  I  would  carry 
a  great  big  twist  of  tobacco,  and  in  the  other  my  bottle 
of  liquor  ;  for  I  knowed  when  I  met  a  man  and  offered 
him  a  dram,  he  would  throw  out  his  quid  of  tobacco  to 
take  one.  and  after  he  had  taken  his  horn,  I  would  out 
with  my  twist,  and  give  him  another  chew.  And  ID  this 


CROCKETT   ELECTED.  187 

w«tv  he  would  not  be  worse  off  than  when  I  found  him ; 
and  I  would  bo  suro  to  leave  him;  in  a  first-rate  good 
humor.  He  said  I  could  beat  him  electioneering  alJ 
hollow.  I  told  him  I  would  give  him  better  evidence  of 
that  before  August,  notwithstanding  he  had  many  advan 
tages  over  me,  and  particularly  in  the  way  of  money ; 
but  I  told  him  I  would  go  on  the  products  of  the  country ; 
that  I  had  industrious  children,  and  the  best  of  coon- 
dogs  ;  and  they  would  hunt  every  night  till  midnight  to 
support  my  election ;  and  when  the  coon  fur  wasn't  good, 
I  would  myself  go  a  wolfing,  and  shoot  down  a  wolf,  and 
skin  his  head,  and  his  scalp  would  be  good  to  me  for 
three  dollars,  in  our  State  Treasury  money ;  and  in  this 
way  I  would  get  along  on  the  big  string.  He  stood  like 
he  was  both  amused  and  astonished,  and  the  whole  crowd 
was  in  a  roar  of  laughter.  From  this  place  I  returned 
home,  leaving  the  people  in  a  first-rate  way,  and  I  was 
sure  I  would  do  a  good  business  among  them.  At  any 
rate,  I  was  determined  to  stand  up  to  my  lick-log,  salt  or 
no  salt. 

In  a  short  time  there  came  out  two  other  candidates, 
a  Mr.  Shaw  and  a  Mr.  Brown.  We  all  ran  the  race 
through ;  and  when  the  election  was  over,  it  turned  out 
that  I  beat  them  all  by  a  majority  of  two  hundred  and 
forty-seven  votes,  and  was  again  returned  as  a  member 
of  the  Legislature  from  a  new  region  of  the  country, 
without  losing  a  session.  This  reminded  me  of  the  old 
eaw — "  A  fool  for  luck,  and  a  poor  man  for  children." 

I  now  served  two  years  in  that  body  from  my  new  dis 
trict,  \yhicn  was  the  years  1823  and  1824.  At  the  ses* 


138      CROCKETT  VOTES  AGAINST  JACKSOlf. 

fiion  of  1823,  I  had  a  small  trial  of  my  independence, 
and  whether  I  would  forsake  principle  for  party,  or  for 
the  purpose  of  following  after  big  mon. 

The  term  of  Col.  John  Williams  haJ  expired,  who  wras 
a  senator  in  Congress  from  the  State  of  Tennessee.  He 
was  a  candidate  for  another  election,  and  was  opposed  by 
Pleasant  M.  Miller,  Esq.,  who  it  was  believed,  would  not 
be  able  to  beat  the  Colonel.  Some  two  or  three  others 
were  spoken  of,  but  it  was  at  last  concluded  that  the 
only  man  who  could  beat  him  was  General  Jackson.  So, 
a  few  days  before  the  election  was  to  come  on,  he  was 
sent  for  to  come  and  run  for  the  senate.  He  was  then 
in  nomination  for  the  presidency ;  but  sure  enough  he 
came,  and  did  run  as  the  opponent  of  Colonel  Williams, 
and  beat  him  too,  but  not  by  my  vote.  The  vote  was, 
for  Jackson,  thirty-five ;  for  Williams,  twenty-five.  I 
thought  the  Colonel  had  honestly  discharged  his  duty, 
and  even  the  mighty  name  of  Jackson  couldn't  make  me 
vote  against  him. 

But  voting  against  the  old  chief  was  found  a  mighty 
up-hill  business  to  all  of  them  except  myself.  I  never 
would,  nor  never  did,  acknowledge  I  had  voted  wrong ; 
and  I  am  more  certain  now  that  I  was  right  than  ever. 

I  told  the  people  it  was  the  best  vote  I  ever  gave ;  that 
I  had  supported  the  public  interest,  and  cleared  my  con 
science  in  giving  it,  instead  of  gratifying  the  private 
ambition  of  a  man. 

I  let  the  people  know  as  early  as  then,  that  I  wouldn't 
take  a  collar  around  my  neck. 

During  these  two  sessions  of  the  Legislature,  nothing 


CANDIDATE   FOR   CONGRESS.  139 

else  turned  up  which  I  think  it  worth  while  to  mention ; 
and,  indeed,  I  am  fearful  that  I  am  too  particular  about 
many  small  matters  ;  but  if  so,  my  apology  is,  that  I 
want  the  world  to  understand  my  true  history,  and  how 
I  worked  along  to  rise  from  the  cane-brake  to  my  present 
station  in  life. 

Col.  Alexander  was  the  representative  in  Congress  of 
the  district  I  lived  in,  and  his  vote  on  the  tariif  law  of 
1824  gave  a  mighty  heap  of  dissatisfaction  to  his  people. 
They  therefore  began  to  talk  pretty  strong  of  running 
me  for  Congress  against  him.  At  last  I  was  called  on 
by  a  good  many  to  be  a  candidate.  I  told  the  people 
that  I  couldn't  stand  that;  it  was  a  step  above  my 
knowledge,  and  I  know'd  nothing  about  Congress 
matters. 

However,  I  was  obliged  to  agree  to  run,  and  myself 
and  two  other  gentlemen  came  out.  But  Providence 
was  a  little  against  two  of  us  this  hunt,  for  it  was  the 
year  that  cotton  brought  twenty-five  dollars  a  hundred ; 
and  so  Colonel  Alexander  would  get  up  and  tell  the  peo 
ple,  it  was  all  the  good  effect  of  this  tariff  law ;  that  it 
had  raised  the  price  of  their  cotton,  and  that  it  would 
raise  the  price  of  every  thing  else  they  made  to  sell.  I 
might  as  well  have  sung  psalms  over  a  dead  horse,  as  to 
tiy  to  make  the  people  believe  otherwise  ;  for  they  know'd 
their  cotton  had  raised,  sure  enough,  and  if  the  colonel 
hadn't  done  it,  they  didn't  know  what  had.  So  he  rather 
made  a  mash  of  me  this  time,  as  he  beat  me  exactly  two 
votes,  as  they  counted  the  polls,  though  I  have  always 
believed  that  many  other  things  had  been  as  fairly  done 
as  that  same  count. 


140  CANDIDATE   FOR   CONGRESS  AGAIN. 

He  went  on,  and  served  out  his  term,  and  at  the  end 
of  it  cotton  was  down  to  six  or  eight  dollars  a  hundred 
again  ;  and  I  concluded  I  would  try  him  once  more,  and 
see  how  it  would  go  with  cotton  at  the  common  price, 
and  so  I  became  a  candidate.* 

*  It  19  certainly  a  very  curious  phase  of  American  and  especially 
of  western  character,  which  is  exhibited  in  the  ease  and  promptness 
with  which  the  colonel  passes  from  one  act  of  the  singular  drama  of 
his  life  to  another.  Yesterday,  a  rough  bear-hunter,  to-day,  a  mem 
ber  of  the  legislature  ;  to-morrow  about  to  become  a  member  of  Con 
gress,  and  the  fearless  opponent  of  his  old  commander,  General  Jack 
son.  Such  sudden  and  successful  advances  in  life  are  scarcely  seen 
except  in  our  own  country,  where  perfect  freedom  operc*  a  boundless 
field  to  enterprise  and  perseverance. 


CHAPTER    XIV. 

Colonel  Crockett  engages  in  a  Lumber  Speculation — Boat  Building 
—Bear  Hunting — The  Grubber — More  Bear  Hunting — Bear  at- 
tacked  in  a  cane  brake — Bear  attacked  in  a  hollow  tree — Three 
Bears  killed — Catting  up  the  Bears  and  salting  them. 

BUT  the  reader,  I  expect,  would  have  no  objection  to 
know  a  little  about  my  employment  during  the  two  years 
while  my  competitor  was  in  Congress.  In  this  space  I 
had  some  pretty  tough  times,  and  will  relate  some  few 
things  that  happened  to  me.  So  here  goes,  as  the  boy 
said  when  he  run  by  himself. 

In  the  fall  of  1825,  I  concluded  I  would  build  two 
large  boats,  and  load  them  with  pipe  staves  for  market. 
So  I  went  down  to  the  lake,  which  was  about  twenty-five 
miles  from  where  I  lived,  and  hired  some  hands  to  assist 
me,  and  went  to  work  ;  some  at  boat  building,  and  others 
to  getting  staves.  I  worked  on  with  my  hands  till  the 
bears  got  fat,  and  then  I  turned  out  to  hunting,  to  lay  in 
a  supply  of  meat.  I  soon  killed  and  salted  down  as 
many  as  was  necessary  for  my  family  ;  but  about  this 
time,  one  of  my  old  neighbors  who  had  settled  down  on 
the  lake  about  twenty-five  miles  from  me,  came  to  my 
house  and  told  me  he  wanted  me  to  go  down  and  kill 
some  bears  about  in  his  parts.  He  said  they  were  ex 
tremely  fat,  and  very  plenty.  I  knowed  that  when  they 

(HI) 


142  BEAR   HUNTING. 

were  fat  they  were  easily  taken,  for  a  fat  bear  can't 
run  fast  or  long.  But  I  asked  a  bear  no  favors,  no  way, 
further  than  civility,  for  I  now  had  eight  large  dogs,  and 
as  fierce  as  painters,  so  that  a  bear  stood  no  chance  at 
all  to  get  away  from  them.  So  I  went  home  with  him 
and  then  went  on  down  towards  the  Mississippi  and  com 
menced  hunting. 

We  were  out  two  weeks,  and  in  that  tim-e  killed  fifteen 
bears.  Having  now  supplied  my  friend  with  plenty  of 
meat,  I  engaged  occasionally  again  with  my  hands  in  our 
boat  building,  and  getting  staves.  But  I  at  length 
couldn't  stand  it  any  longer  without  another  hunt.  So 
I  concluded  to  take  my  little  son  and  cross  over  the 
lake,  and  take  a  hunt  there.  We  got  over,  and  that 
evening  turned  out  and  killed  three  bears  in  little  or  no 
time.  The  next  morning  we  drove  up  four  forks,  and 
made  a  sort  of  scaffold,  on  which  we  salted  up  our  meat, 
so  as  to  have  it  out  of  the  reach  of  the  wolves,  for  as 
soon  as  we  would  leave  our  camp,  they  would  take  pos 
session.  We  had  just  eat  our  breakfast,  when  a  com 
pany  of  hunters  came  to  our  camp  who  had  fourteen 
dogs,  but  all  so  poor,  that  when  they  would  bark  they 
would  almost  have  to  lean  up  against  a  tree  and  take  a 
rest.  I  told  them  their  dogs  couldn't  run  in  smell  of  a 
bear,  and  they  had  better  stay  at  my  camp  and  feed  them 
on  the  bones  I  had  cut  out  of  my  meat.  I  left  them 
there  and  cut  out ;  but  I  hadn't  gone  far,  when  my  dogs 
took  a  first  rate  start  after  a  very  large  fat  old  he-bear, 
which  run  right  plump  towards  my  camp.  I  pursued  on, 
but  my  other  hunters  had  heard  my  dogs  coming,  and 
met  them  and  killed  the  bear  before  I  got  up  with  him. 


BEAR   HUNTING.  143 

I  gave  him  to  them,  and  cut  out  again  for  a  creek  called 
Big  Clover,  which  wasn't  'very  far  off.  Jus-t  as  I  got 
there,  and  was  entering  a  cane  brake,  my  dogs  all  broke 
and  went  ahead,  and  in  a  little  time  they  raised  a  fuss  in 
the  cane,  and  seemed  to  be  going  every  way.  I  lis 
tened  a  while,  and  found  my  dogs  was  in  two  companies, 
and  that  both  was  in  a  snorting  fight.  I  sent  my  little 
son  to  one  and  I  broke  for  t'other.  I  got  to  mine  first, 
and  found  my  dogs  had  a  two-year-old  bear  down  a-wool- 
ing  away  on  him,  so  I  just  took  out  my  big  butcher,  and 
went  up  and  slapp'd  it  into  him,  and  killed  him  without 
shooting.  There  was  five  of  the  dogs  in  my  company. 
In  a  short  time  I  heard  my  little  son  fire  at  his  bear ; 
when  I  went  to  him  he  had  killed  it  too.  He  had  twj 
dogs  in  his  team.  Just  at  this  moment  we  heard  my 
other  dog  barking  a  short  distance  off,  arid  all  the  rest 
immediately  broke  to  him.  We  pushed  on  too,  and  when 
we  got  there,  we  found  that  he  had  still  a  larger  bear 
than  either  of  them  we  had  killed,  treed  by  himself.  We 
killed  that  one  also,  which  made  three  we  had  killed  in 
less  than  half  an  hour.  We  turned  in  and  butchered 
them,  and  then  started  to  hunt  for  water  and  a  good 
place  to  camp.  But  we  had  no  sooner  started,  than  our 
dogs  took  a  start  after  another  one,  and  away  they  went 
like  a  thimdergust  and  was  out  of  hearing  in  a  minute. 
We  followed  the  way  they  had  gone  for  some  time,  but 
at  length  we  gave  up  the  hope  of  finding  them,  and 
turned  back.  As  we  were  going  back,  I  came  to  where 
a  poor  fellow  was  grubbing,  and  he  looked  like  the  very 
picture  of  hard  times.  I  asked  him  what  he  was  doing 
away  there  in  the  woods  by  himself?  He  said  he  was 


144  CROCKETT   PATRONIZES   A   GRUBBER. 

Drubbing  for  a  man  who  intended  to  settle  there  ;  and 
tne  reason  why  he  did  it  was,  that  he  had  no  meat  for 
his  family,  and  he  was  working  for  a  little. 

I  was  mighty  sorry  for  the  poor  fellow,  for  it  was  not 
only  a  hard  but  a  very  slow  way  to  get  meat  for  a  hun 
gry  family ;  so  I  told  him  if  he  would  go  with  me,  I 
would  give  him  more  meat  than  he  could  get  by  grubbing 
in  a  month.  I  intended  to  supply  him  with  meat,  and 
also  to  get  him  to  assist  my  little  boy  in  packing  and 
salting  up  my  bears.  He  had  never  seen  a  bear  killed 
in  his  life.  I  told  him  I  had  six  killed  then,  and  my 
dogs  were  hard  after  another.  He  went  off  to  his  little 
cabin,  which  was  a  short  distance  in  the  brush,  and  his 
wife  was  very  anxious  he  should  go  with  me.  So  we 
started  and  went  to  where  I  had  left  my  three  bears,  and 
made  a  camp.  We  then  gathered  my  meat,  and  salted 
and  scaffold  it,  as  I  had  done  the  other.  Night  now 
came  on,  but  no  word  from  my  dogs  yet.  I  afterwards 
found  they  had  treed  the  bear  about  five  miles  off,  near 
to  a  man's  house,  and  had  barked  at  it  the  whole  endu 
ring  night.  Poor  fellows  !  many  a  time  they  looked  for 
me,  and  wondered  why  I  didn't  come,  for  they  know'd 
there  was  no  mistake  in  me,  and  I  know'd  they  were  as 
good  as  ever  fluttered.  In  the  morning,  as  soon  as  it 
was  light  enough  to  see,  the  man  took  his  gun  and  went 
to  them,  and  shot  the  bear  and  killed  it.  My  dogs,  how 
ever,  wouldn't  have  anything  to  say  to  this  stranger;  so 
they  left  him,  and  came  early  in  the  morning  back  to 
me. 

We  got  our  breakfast  and  cut  out  again,  and  we  killed 
four  large  and  very  fat  bears  that  day.     We  hunted  out 


MORE   BEAR   HUNTING.  145 

the  T*eek,  aL(l  in  that  time  we  killed  seventeen,  all  bf 
them  first  rate.  When  we  closed  our  hunt,  I  gave  the 
man  over  a  thousand  weight  of  fine,  fat  bear-Meat,  which 
pleased  him  mightily,  and  made  him  feel  as  rich  as  a 
Jew.  I  saw  him  the  next  fall,  and  he  told  me  he  had 
plenty  of  meat  to  do  him  the  whole  year  from  his  week's 
hunt.  My  son  and  me  now  went  home.  This  was  the 
week  between  Christmas  and  New  Year,  that  we  made 

this  hunt.   ^     J^~~ — """"* ~ 

When  I  got  home,  one  of  my  neighbors  was  out  of 
meat,  and  wanted  me  to  go  back,  and  let  him  go  with 
me,  to  take  another  hunt.  I  couldn't  refuse ;  but  I  told 
him  I  was  afraid  the  bear  had  taken  to  house  by  that 
time,  for  after  they  get  very  fat  in  the  fall  and  early 
part  of  the  winter,  they  go  into  their  holes,  in  large 
hollow  trees,  or  into  hollow  logs,  or  their  cane-houses, 
or  the  harricanes ;  and  lie  there  till  spring,  like  frozen 
snakes.  And  one  thing  about  this  will  seem  mighty 
strange  to  many  people.  From  about  the  first  of  Janu 
ary  to  about  the  last  of  April,  these  varments  lie  in 
their  holes  altogether.  In  all  that  time  they  have  no 
food  to  eat ;  and  yet  when  they  come  out,  they  are  not 
an  ounce  lighter  than  when  they  went  to  house.  I  don't 
*now  the  cause  of  this,  and  still  I  know  it  is  a  fact ; 
and  I  leave  it  for  others  who  have  more  learning  than 
myself  to  account  for  it.  They  have  not  a  particle  of 
food  with  them,  but  they  just  lie  and  suck  the  bottom 
of  their  paw  all  the  time.  I  have  killed  many  of  them 
in  their  trees,  which  enables  me  to  speak  positively  on 
this  subject.  However,  my  neighbor,  whose  name  was 
McDaniel,  and  my  little  son  and  me,  went  on  down  to 
10 


146  BEAK   IN  A   CANE   BRAKE. 

the  lake  to  my  second  camp,  where  I  had  killed  my 
seventeen  bears  the  week  before,  and  turned  out  to 
hunting,  x&ut  we  hunted  hard  all  day  without  getting 
a  single  start.  We  had  carried  but  little  piovisiony 
with  us,  and  the  next  morning  was  entirely  out  of  meat 
I  sent  my  son  about  three  miles  off,  to  the  house  of  an 
old  friend,  to  get  some.  The  old  gentleman  was  much 
pleased  to  hear  I  was  hunting  in  those  parts,  for  the 
year  before  the  bears  had  killed  a  great  many  of  his 
hogs.  He  was  that  day  killing  his  bacon  hogs,  and  so 
he  gave  my  son  some  meat,  and  sent  word  to  me  that  J 
must  come  in  to  his  house  that  evening,  that  he  would 
have  plenty  of  feed  for  my  dogs,  and  some  accommoda 
tions  for  ourselves ;  but  before  my  son  got  back,  we  had 
gone  out  hunting,  and  in  a  large  cane  brake  my  dogs 
found  a  big  bear  in  a  cane-house,  which  he  had  fixed  for 
his  winter-quarters,  as  they  sometimes  do. 

When  my  lead  dog  found  him,  and  raised  the  yell,  all 
the  rest  broke  to  him,  but  none  of  them  entered  his 
house  until  we  got  up.  I  encouraged  my  dogs,  and  they 
knowed  me  so  well,  that  I  could  have  made  them  seize 
the  old  serpent  himself,  with  all  his  horns  and  heads, 
and  cloven  foot  and  ugliness  into  the  bargain,  if  he  would 
only  have  come  to  light,  so  that  they  could  have  seen 
him.  They  bulged  in,  and  in  an  instant  the  bear  fol 
lowed  them  out,  and  I  told  my  friend  to  shoot  him,  as 
he  was  mighty  wrathy  to  kill  a  bear.  He  did  so,  and 
killed  him  prime.  We  carried  him  to  our  camp,  by 
which  time  my  son  had  returned ;  and  after  we  got  our 
dinners  we  packed  up,  and  cut  for  the  house  of  my  old 
friend,  whose  name  was  Davidson. 


BEAR  IN  A  HOLLOW  TREE.          147 

We  got  there,  and  staid  with  him  that  night ;  and  the 
next  morning,  having  salted  up  our  meat,  we  left  it  with 
him,  and  started  to  take  a  hunt  between  the  Obion  lake 
and  the  Red  foot  lake ;  as  there  had  been  a  dreadful 
harricane,  which  passed  between  them,  and  I  was  sure 
there  must  be  a  heap  of  bears  in  the  fallen  timber.  We 
had  gone  about  five  miles  without  seeing  any  sign  at  all : 
but  at  length  we  got  on  some  high  cany  ridges,  and,  as 
we  rode  along,  I  saw  a  hole  in  a  large  black  oak,  and 
on  examining  more  closely,  I  discovered  that  a  bear  had 
clomb  the  tree.  I  could  see  his  tracks  going  up,  but 
none  coming  down,  and  so  I  was  sure  he  wras  in  there. 
A  person  who  is  acquainted  with  bear-hunting,  can  tell 
easy  enough  when  the  varment  is  in  the  hollow ;  for  as 
they  go  up  they  don't  slip  a  bit,  but  as  they  oome  down 
they  make  long  scratches  with  their  nails. 

My  friend  was  a  little  ahead  of  me,  but  J  called  him 
back,  and  told  him  there  was  a  bear  in  tha*  tree,  and  I 
must  have  him  out.  So  we  lit  from  our  horses,  and  I 
found  a  small  tree  which  I  thought  I  could  fall  so  as  to 
lodge  against  my  bear  tree,  and  we  fell  to  work  chop 
ping  it  with  our  tomahawks.  I  intended,  when  we 
lodged  the  tree  against  the  other,  to  let  my  little  son  go 
up,  and  look  into  the  hole,  for  he  could  climb  like  a 
squirrel.  We  had  chopp'd  on  a  little  time  and  stopp'd 
to  rest,  when  I  heard  my  dogs  barking  mighty  severe 
at  some  distance  from  us,  and  I  told  my  friend  I  knowed 
they  had  a  bear ;  for  it  is  the  nature  of  a  dog,  when  he 
finds  you  are  hunting  bears,  to  hunt  for  nothing  else ; 
he  becomes  fond  of  the  meat,  and  considers  other  game 


148  THIRD    BEAR    KILLED. 

as  "not  worth  a  notice,"  as  old  Johnson  said  of  the 
devil. 

We  concluded  to  leave  our  tree  a  bit,  and  went  to  my 
dogs,  and  when  we  got  there,  sure  enough  they  had  an 
eternal  great  big  fat  bear  up  a  tree,  just  ready  for 
shooting.  My  friend  again  petitioned  me  for  liberty  to 
shoot  this  one  also.  I  had  a  little  rather  not,  as  the 
bear  was  so  big,  but  I  couldn't  refuse ;  and  so  he  blazed 
away,  and  down  came  the  old  fellow  like  some  great  log 
had  fell.  I  now  missed  one  of  my  dogs,  the  same  that 
I  before  spoke  of  as  having  treed  the  bear  by  himself 
sometime  before,  when  I  had  started  the  three  in  the 
cane  brake.  I  told  my  friend  that  my  missing  dog  had 
a  bear  somewhere,  just  as  sure  as  fate ;  so  I  left  them 
to  butcher  the  one  we  had  just  killed,  and  I  went  up  on 
a  piece  of  high  ground  to  listen  for  my  dog.  I  heard 
him  barking  with  all  his  might  some  distance  off,  and  I 
pushed  ahead  for,  him.  My  other  dogs  hearing  him 
broke  to  him,  and  when  I  got  there,  sure  enough  again 
he  had  another  bear  ready  treed ;  if  he  hadn't,  I  wish 
I  may  be  shot.  I  fired  on  him,  and  brought  him  down ; 
and  then  went  back,  and  help'd  finish  butchering  the 
one  at  which  I  had  left  my  friend.  We  then  packed 
both  to  our  tree  where  we  had  left  my  boy.  By  this 
time,  the  little  fellow  had  cut  the  tree  down  that  we  in 
tended  to  lodge,  but  it  fell  the  wrong  way ;  he  had  then 
feather'd  in  on  the  big  tree,  to  cut  that,  and  had  found 
that  it  was  nothing  but  a  shell  on  the  outside,  and  all 
doted  in  the  middle,  as  too  many  of  our  big  men  are  in 
these  days,  having  only  an  outside  appearance.  My 
friend  and  my  son  cut  away  on  it,  and  I  went  off  about 


CUTTING  UP  THE  BEARS.  149 

a  hundred  yards  with  my  dogs  to  keep  them  from  run 
ning  under  the  tree  when  it  should  fall.  On  looking 
back  at  the  hole,  I  saw  the  bear's-  head  out  of  it,  look 
ing  down  at  them  as  they  were  cutting.  I  hollered  to 
them  to  look  up,  and  they  did  so  ;  and  McDaniel  catched 
up  his  gun,  but  by  this  time  the  bear  was  out,  and  com 
ing  down  the  tree.  He  fired  at  it,  and  as  soon  as  it 
touched  the  ground  the  dogs  were  all  round  it,  and  they 
had  a  roll-and-tumble  fight  to  the  foot  of  the  hill,  where 
they  stopp'd  him.  I  ran  up,  and  putting  my  gun 
against  the  bear,  fired  and  killed  him.  We  had  now 
three,  and  so  we  made  our  scaffold  and  salted  them  up.5" 

*  One  cannot  help  admiring  the  ease  and  nonchalance  with  which 
the  colonel  disposes  of  his  bears  as  they  present  themselves,  one  after 
another.  Ordinarily  a  bear  tight  is  a  pretty  serious  affair ;  but  Cot 
oofcl  Crockett  makes  nothing  of  killing  several  io  a  day 


CHAPTER   XV. 

Mere  bear  hunting — Shooting  a  bear — Crockett  benighted  in  thf 
woods — Night  encounter  with  a  bear — Crockett  nearly  frozen  to 
deaih — Dreadful  earthquake — Ten  bears  killed  during  this  hunt. 

IN  the  morning  I  left  my  son  at  the  camp,  and  we 
started  on  towards  the  harricane ;  and  when  we  had 
went  about  a  mile,  we  started  a  very  large  bear,  but  we 
got  along  mighty  slow  on  account  of  the  cracks  in  the 
earth  occasioned  by  the  earthquakes.  We,  however, 
made  out  to  keep  in  hearing  of  the  dogs  for  about  three 
miles,  and  then  we  come  to  the  harricane.  Here  we  had 
to  quit  our  horses,  as  old  Nick  himself  couldn't  have 
got  through  it  without  sneaking  it  along  in  the  form  that 
he  put  on,  to  make  a  fool  of  our  old  grandmother  Eve. 
By  this  time  several  of  my  dogs  had  got  tired  and  come 
back  ;  but  we  went  ahead  on  foot  for  some  little  time  in 
the  harricane,  when  we  met  a  bear  coming  straight  to 
us,  and  not  more  than  twenty  or  thirty  yards  off.  I 
started  my  tired  dogs  after  him,  and  McDaniel  pursued 
them,  and  I  went  on  to  where  my  other  dogs  were.  I 
had  seen  the  track  of  the  bear  they  were  after,  and  1 
knowed  he  was  a  screamer.  I  followed  on  to  about  the 
middle  of  the  harricane,  but  my  dogs  pursued  him  so 
close,  that  they  made  him  climb  an  old  stump  about 

twenty  feet  high.     I  got  in  shooting  distance  of  him 
*  (150) 


SHOOTING   A   BEAR.  151 

and  fired,  but  I  was  all  over  in  such  a  flutter  from  fatigue 
and  running,  that  I  couldn't  hold  steady ;  but,  however, 
I  broke  his  shoulder,  and  he  fell.  I  run  up  and  loaded 
my  gun  as  quick  as  possible,  and  shot  him  again  and 
killed  him.  When  I  went  to  take  out  my  knife  to 
butcher  him,  I  found  I  had  lost  it  in  coming  through  the 
harricane.  The  vines  and  briers  was  so  thick  that  I 
would  sometimes  have  to  get  down  and  crawl  like  a  var 
ment  to  get  through  at  all ;  and  a  vine  had,  as  I  sup 
posed,  caught  in  the  handle  and  pulled  it  out.  While  I 
was  standing  and  studying  wThat  to  do,  my  friend  came 
to  me.  He  had  followed  my  trail  through  the  harricane, 
and  had  found  my  knife,  which  was  mighty  good  news 
to  me ;  as  a  hunter  hates  the  worst  in  the  world  to  lose 
a  good  dog,  or  any  part  of  his  hunting  tools.  I  now 
left  McDaniel  to  butcher  the  bear,  and  I  went  after  our 
horses,  and  brought  them  as  near  as  the  nature  of  the 
;ase  would  allow.  I  then  took  our  bags,  and  went  back 
to  where  he  was ;  and  when  we  had  skinned  the  bear, 
we  fleeced  off  the  fat  and  carried  it  to  our  horses  at 
several  loads.  We  then  packed  it  up  on  our  horses,  and 
had  a  heavy  pack  of  it  on  each  one.  We  now  started 
and  went  on  till  about  sunset,  when  I  concluded  we  must 
be  near  our  camp ;  so  I  hollered  and  my  son  answered 
me,  and  we  moved  on  in  the  direction  to  the  camp.  We 
had  gone  but  a  little  way  when  I  heard  my  dogs  make 
a  warm  start  again  ;  and  I  jumped  down  from  my  horse 
and  gave  him  up  to  my  friend,  and  told  him  I  would 
follow  them.  He  went  on  to  the  camp,  and  I  went 
ahead  after  my  dogs  with  all  my  might  for  a  consider 
able  distance,  till  at  last  night  came  on.  The  woods 


152  BENIGHTED   IN  THE  WOODS. 

were  very  rough  and  hilly,  and  all  covered  over  with 
cane. 

I  now  was  compelled  to  move  on  more  slowly ;  and 
was  frequently  falling  over  logs,  and  into  the  cracks 
made  by  the  earthquakes,  so  that  I  was  very  much  afraid 
I  would  break  my  gun.  However,  I  went  on  about  three 
miles,  when  I  came  to  a  good  big  creek,  which  I  waded. 
It  was  very  cold,  and  the  creek  was  about  knee-deep ; 
but  I  felt  no  great  inconvenience  from  it  just  then,  as  I 
was  all  over  wet  with  sweat  from  running,  and  I  felt  hot 
enough.  After  I  got  over  this  creek  and  out  of  the 
cane,  which  was  very  thick  on  all  our  creeks,  I  listened 
for  my  dogs.  I  found  they  had  either  treed  or  brought 
the  bear  to  a  stop,  as  they  continued  barking  in  the  same 
place.  I  pushed  on  as  near  in  the  direction  of  the  noise 
as  I  could,  till  I  found  the  hill  was  too  steep  for  me  to 
climb,  and  so  I  backed  and  went  down  the  creek  some 
distance,  till  I  came  to  a  hollow,  and  then  took  up  that, 
till  I  came  to  a  place  where  I  could  climb  up  the  hill. 
It  was  mighty  dark,  and  was  difficult  to  see  my  way,  or 
anything  else.  When  I  got  up  the  hill,  I  found  I  had 
passed  the  dogs ;  and  so  I  turned  and  went  to  them.  I 
found,  when  I  got  there,  they  had  treed  the  bear  in  a 
large  forked  poplar,  and  it  was  setting  in  the  fork. 

I  could  see  the  lump,  but  not  plain  enough  to  shoot 
with  any  certainty,  as  there  was  no  moonlight;  and  so  I 
Bet  in  to  hunting  for  some  dry  brush  to  make  me  a  light; 
but  I  could  find  none,  though  I  could  find  that  the  ground 
was  torn  mightily  to  pieces  by  the  cracks. 

At  last  I  thought  I  could  shoot  by  guesn,  and  kill 
him ;  so  I  pointed  as  near  the  lump  as  I  could,  and  fired 


NIGHT   FIGHT   WITH    A    BEAR.  153 

away.  But  the  bear  didn't  come,  he  only  dumb  up 
higher,  and  got  out  on  a  limb,  which  helped  me  to  see 
him  better.  I  now  loaded  up  again  and  fired,  but  this 
time  he  didn't  move  at  all.  I  commenced  loading  for  a 
third  fire,  but  the  first  thing  I  knowed,  the  bear  was 
down  among  my  dogs^  and  they  were  fighting  all  around 
me.  I  had  my  big  butcher  in  my  belt,  and  I  had 
a  pair  of  dressed  buckskin  breeches  on.  So  I  took  out 
my  knife,  and  stood,  determined,  if  he  should  get  hold 
of  me,  to  defend  myself  in  the  best  way  I  could.  I 
stood  there  for  some  time,  and  could  now  and  then  see  a 
white  dog  I  had,  but  the  rest  of  them,  and  the  bear, 
which  were  dark  colored,  I  couldn't  see  at  all,  it  was  so 
miserable  dark.  They  still  fought  around  me,  and  some 
times  within  three  feet  of  me ;  but,  at  last,  the  bear  got 
down  into  one  of  the  cracks  that  the  earthquakes  had 
made  in  the  ground,  about  four  feet  deep,  and  I  could 
tell  the  biting  end  of  him  by  the  hollering  of  my  dogs. 
So  I  took  my  gun  and  pushed  the  muzzle  of  it  about,  till 
I  thought  I  had  it  against  the  main  part  of  his  body,  and 
fired ;  but  it  happened  to  be  only  the  fleshy  part  of  his 
foreleg.  With  this  he  jumped  out  of  the  crack,  and  he 
and  the  dogs  had  another  hard  fight  around  me,  as  be 
fore.  At  last,  however,  they  forced  him  back  into  the 
crack  again,  as  he  was  when  I  had  slu  t. 

I  had  laid  down  my  gun  in  the  dark,  and  I  now  began 
to  "hunt  for  it ;  and,  while  hunting,  I  got  hold  of  a  pole, 
and  I  concluded  I  would  punch  him  awhile  with  that.  1 
did  so,  and  when  I  would  punch  him,  the  dogs  would 
jump  in  on  him,  when  he  would  bite  them  badly,  and 
tWy  would  jump  out  again.  I  concluded,  as  he  would 


154  CKOCKETT   NEARLY  FROZBW. 

tike  punching  so  patiently,  it  might  be  that  he  would 
lie  still  enough  for  me  to  get  down  in  the  crack,  and 
feel  slowly  along  till  J  could  find  the  right  place  to  give 
him  a  dig  with  my  butcher.  So  I  got  down,  and  my 
dogs  got  in  before  him  and  kept  his  head  towards  them, 
till  I  got  along  easily  up  to  him ;  and  placing  my  hand 
on  his  rump,  felt  for  his  shoulder,  just  behind  which  I 
intended  to  stick  him.  I  made  a  lunge  with  my  long 
knife,  and  fortunately  stuck  him  right  through  the  heart, 
at  which  he  just  sank  down,  and  I  crawled  out  in  a 
hurry.  In  a  little  time  my  dogs  all  come  out  too,  and 
seemed  satisfied,  which  was  the  way  they  always  had  of 
celling  me  that  they  had  finished  him. 

I  suffered  very  much  that  night  with  cold,  as  my 
leather  breeches,  and  everything  else  I  had  on,  was  wet 
and  frozen.  But  I  managed  to  get  my  bear  out  of  this 
crack  after  several  hard  trials,  and  so  I  butchered  him 
and  laid  down  to  try  to  sleep.  But  my  fire  was  very  bad, 
and  I  couldn't  find  anything  that  would  burn  well  to 
make  it  any  better ;  and  so  I  concluded  I  should  freeze, 
if  I  didn't  warm  myself  in  some  way  by  exercise.  So  I 
got  up  and  hollered  awhile,  and  then  I  would  just  jump 
up  and  down  with  all  my  might,  and  throw  myself  into 
all  sorts  of  motions.  But  all  this  wouldn't  do;  for  my 
blood  was  now  getting  cold,  and  the  chills  coming  all 
over  me.  I  was  so  tired,  too,  that  I  could  hardly  walk ; 
but  1  thought  I  would  do  the  best  I  could  to  save  my 
life,  and  then,  if  I  died,  nobody  would  be  to  blame.  So 
[  went  to  a  tree  about  two  feet  through,  and  not  a  limb 
)n  it  for  thii  ty  feet,  and  I  would  climb  up  to  the  limbs, 


AN   EARTHQUAKE.  154 

and  then  lock  my  arms  together  around  it,  and  slide 
down  to  the  bottom  again.  This  would  make  the  insides 
of  my  legs  and  arms  feel  mighty  warm  and  good.  I 
continued  this  till  daylight  in  the  morning,  and  how  often 
I  dumb  up  my  tree  and  slid  down  I  don't  know,  but  I 
reckon  at  least  a  hundred  times. 

In  the  morning  I  got  my  bear  hung  up  so  as  to  be 
safe,  and  then  set  out  to  hunt  for  my  camp.  1  found  it 
after  awhile,  and  McDaniel  and  my  son  were  very  much 
rejoiced  to  see  me  get  back,  for  they  were  about  to  give 
me  up  for  lost.  We  got  our  breakfasts,  and  then  secured 
our  meat  by  building  a  high  scaffold,  and  covering  it 
over.  We  had  no  fear  of  its  spoiling,  for  the  weather 
was  so  cold  that  it  couldn't. 

We  now  started  after  my  other  bear,  which  had  caused 
me  so  much  trouble  and  suffering;  and  before  we  got 
him,  we  got  a  start  after  another,  and  took  him  also. 
We  went  on  to  the  creek  I  had  crossed  the  night  before, 
and  camped,  and  then  went  to  where  my  bear  was  that 
I  had  killed  in  the  crack.  When  we  examined  the  place, 
McDaniel  said  he  wouldn't  have  gone  into  it,  as  I  did, 
for  all  the  bears  in  the  woods. 

We  then  took  the  meat  down  to  our  camp  and  salted 
it,  and  also  the  last  one  we  had  killed;  intending  in  the 
morning,  to  make  a  hunt  in  the  harricane  again. 

We  prepared  for  resting  that  night,  and  I  can  assure 
the  reader  I  was  in  need  of  it.  We  had  laid  down  by 
our  fire,  and  about  ten  o'clock  there  came  a  most  terri 
ble  earthquake,  which  shook  the  earth  so,  that  we  were 
rocked  about  like  we  had  been  in  a  cradle.  We  were 


156  TENTH    BEAR   KILLED. 

very  much  alarmed;  for  though  we  were  accustomed  to 
feel  earthquakes,  we  were  now  right  in  the  region  which 
had  been  torn  to  pieces  by  them  in  1812,  and  we  thought 
it  might  take  a  notion  and  swallow  us  up,  like  the  big  fish 
did  Jonah. 

In  the  morning  we  packed  up  and  moved  to  the  harri- 
cane,  where  we  made  another  camp,  and  turned  out  that 
evening  and  killed  a  very  large  bear,  which  made  eight 
we  had  now  killed  in  this  hunt. 

The  next  morning  we  entered  the  harricane  again,, 
and  in  a  little  or  no  time  my  dogs  were  in  Ml  cry.  We 
pursued  them,  and  soon  came  to  a  thick  cane-brake,  in 
which  they  had  stopp'd  their  bear.  We  got  up  close  to 
him,  as  the  cane  was  so  thick  that  we  couldn't  see  more 
than  a  few  feet.  Here  I  made  my  friend  hold  the  cane 
a  little  open  with  his  gun  till  I  shot  the  bear,  which  was 
a  mighty  large  one.  I  killed  him  dead  in  his  tracks. 
We  got  him  out  and  butchered  him,  and  in  a  little  time 
started  another  and  killed  him,  which  now  made  ten-  we 
had  killed;  and  we  knowed  we  couldn't  pack  any  more 
home,  as  we  had  only  five  horses  along;  therefore  we 
returned  to  the  camp  and  salted  up  all  our  meat,  to  be 
ready  for  a  start  homeward  next  morning. 

The  morning  came,  and  we  packed  our  horses  with  the 
meat,  and  had  as  much  as  they  could  possibly  carry,  and 
sure  enough  cut  out  for  home.  It  was  about  thirty 
miles,  and  we  reached  home  the  second  day.  1  had  now 
accommodated  my  neighbor  with  meat  enough  to  do  him, 
and  had  killed  in  all,  up  to  that  time,  fifty-eight  bears, 
during  the  fall  and  winter. 

As  soon  as  the  time  come  foi  them  to  quit  their  houses 


ONE   HUNDRED    AND    FIVE    BEAKS   KILLED.         157 

and  come  out  again  in  the  spring,  I  took  a  notion  to 
hunt  a  little  more,  and  in  about  one  month  I  killed 
forty-seven  more,  which  made  one  hundred  and  five 
bears  which  I  had  killed  in  less  than  one  year  from 
that  time.* 

*  These  bear  hunts  of  the  Colonel  entirely  surpass  anything  on  re 
cord.  Mr.  Gordon  Cmnming's  record  of  his  fights  with  lions,  ele 
phants,  giraffes,  hippopotamuses.,  and  African  buffaloes,  is  full  of  ex 
citoaient  and  interest  ;  but  in  real  peril  and  adventure,  they  ly  no 
means  surpass  Colonel  Crockett's  bear  fights. 


CHAPTER    XVI. 

Colonel  Crockett  attends  to  his  lumber  speculations — Goes  down  the 
Mississippi  with  his  lumber — Difficult  navigation — Boats  swamped 
— Narrow  escape  of  the  Colonel  from  drowning — Eesult  of  the 
ppeculation  a  total  loss. 

HAVING  now  closed  my  hunting  for  that  winter,  I  re 
turned  to  my  hands,  who  were  engaged  about  my  boats 
and  staves,  and  made  ready  for  a  trip  down  the  river. 
I  had  two  boats  and  about  thirty  thousand  staves,  and 
so  I  loaded  with  them,  and  set  out  for  New  Orleans.  I  got 
out  of  the  Obion  river,  in  which  I  had  loaded  my  boats,  very 
well ;  but  when  I  got  into  the  Mississippi,  I  found  all  my 
hands  were  bad  scared,  and  in  fact  I  believe  I  was  scared 
a  little  the  worst  of  any ;  for  I  had  never  been  down  the 
river,  and  I  soon  discovered  that  my  pilot  was  as  igno 
rant  $f  the  business  as  myself.  I  hadn't  gone  far  before 
I  determined  to  lash  the  two  boats  together ;  we  did  so, 
but  it  made  them  so  heavy  and  obstinate,  that  it  was 
next  akin  to  impossible  to  do  anything  at  all  with  them, 
or  to  guide  them  right  in  the  river. 

That   evening  we   fell   in   company  \\ith  some    Ohio 

boats  ;    and  about   night  we  tried  to  land,  but  we  could 

not.     The  Ohio  men  hollered  to  us  to  go  on  arid  run  all 

sight.     We  took  their  advice,  though  we  had  9   good 

(158) 


THE   DEVIL'S   ELBOW.  159 

deal  rather  not ;  but  we  couldn't  do  any  other  way.  In 
a  short  distance  we  got  into  what  is  called  the  "  Devil's 
Elbow ;"  and  if  any  place  in  the  wide  creation  has  its 
OTsn  proper  name,  I  thought  it  was  this.  Here  we  had 
about  the  hardest  work  that  I  ever  was  engaged  in,  in 
my  life,  to  keep  out  of  danger;  and  even  then  we  weie 
in  it  all  the  while.  We  twice  attempted  to  land  at 
Wood-yards,  which  we  could  see  but  couldn't  reach. 

The  people  would  run  out  with  lights,  and  try  to  in 
struct  us  how  to  get  to  shore ;  but  all  in  vain.  Our 
boats  were  so  heavy  that  we  couldn't  take  them  much 
any  way,  except  the  way  they  wanted  to  go,  and  just 
the  way  the  current  would  carry  them.  At  last  we  quit 
trying  to  land,  and  concluded  just  to  go  ahead  as  well 
as  we  could,  for  we  found  we  couldn't  do  any  better. 
Some  time  in  the  night  I  was  duwn  in  the  cabin  of  one 
of  the  boats,  sitting  by  the  fire,  thinking  on  what  a  hob 
ble  we  had  got  into  ;  and  how  much  better  bear-hunting 
was  on  hard  land,  than  floating  along  on  the  water,  when 
a  fellow  had  to  go  ahead  whether  he  was  exactly  willing 
or  not. 

The  hatchway  into  the  cabin  came  slap  down,  right 
through  the  top  of  the  boat ;  and  it  was  the  only  way  out 
except  a  small  hole  in  the  side,  which  we  had  used  for 
putting  our  arms  through  to  dip  up  water  before  we 
lashed  the  boats  together. 

We  were  now  floating  sideways,  and  the  boat  I  was 
in  was  the  hindmost  as  we  went.  All  at  once  I  heard 
the  hands  begin  to  run  over  the  top  of  the  boat  in  great 
confusion,  and  pull  with  all  their  might ;  and  the  first 
thing  I  know'd  after  this  we  went  broadside  full  tilt 


160  HARROW   ESCAPE   FROM   DROWNING. 

against  the  head  of  an  island  where  a  large  raft  of  drift 
timber  had  lodged.  The  nature  of  such  a-  place  would 
be,  as  everybody  knows,  to  suck  the  boats  down,  and  turn 
them  right  under  this  raft ;  and  the  uppermost  boat  would, 
of  course,  be  suck'd  down  and  go  under  first.  As  soon 
as  we  struck,  I  bulged  for  my  hatchway,  as  the  boat  was 
turning  under  sure  enough.  But  when  I  got  to  it,  the 
water  was  pouring  through  in  a  current  as  large  as  the 
hole  would  let  it,  and  as  strong  as  the  weight  of  the 
river  would  force  it.  I  found  I  couldn't  get  out  here, 
for  the  boat  was  now  turned  down  in  such  a  way,  that  it 
was  steeper  than  a  house-top.  I  now  thought  of  the 
hole  in  the  side,  and  made  my  way  in  a  hurry  for  that. 
With  difficulty  I  got  to  it,  and  when  I  got  there,  I  found 
it  was  too  small  for  me  to  get  out  by  my  own  power,  and 
I  began  to  think  that  I  was  in  a  worse  box  than  ever. 
But  I  put  my  arms  through  and  hollered  as  loud  as  I 
could  roar,  as  the  boat  I  was  in  hadn't  yet  quite  filled 
with  water  up  to  my  head,  and  the  hands  who  were  next 
to  the  raft,  seeing  my  arms  out,  and  hearing  me  holler, 
seized  them,  and  began  to  pull.  I  told  them  I  was  sink 
ing,  and  to  pull  my  arms  off,  or  force  me  through,  for 
now  I  know'd  well  enough  it  was  neck  or  nothing,  come 
out  or  sink. 

By  a  violent  effort  they  jerked  me  through  :  but  I  was 
in  a  pretty  pickle  when  I  got  through.  I  had  -been 
sitting  without  any  clothing  over  my  shirt ;  this  was  torn 
off,  and  I  was  literally  skin'd  like  a  rabbit.  I  was,  how 
ever,  well  pleased  to  get  out  in  any  way,  even  without 
shirt  or  hide ;  as  before  I  could  straighten  myself  on  the 
boat  next  to  the  raft,  the  one  they  pull'd  me  out  of  went 


MEETS    WITH    A    FRIEND.  161 

entirely  under,  and  I  have  never  seen  it  any  more  to  this 
day.  We  all  escaped  on  to  the  raft,  where  we  were  com 
pelled  to  sit  all  night  about  a  mile  from  land  on  either 
side.  Four  of  my  company  were  bareheaded,  and  three 
barefooted ;  and  of  that  number  I  was  one.  I  reckon  I 
looked  like  a  pretty  cracklin  ever  to  get  to  Congress ! ! ! 

We  had  now  lost  all  our  loading ;  and  every  particle 
of  our  clothing,  except  what  little  we  had  on  ;  but  over 
all  this,  while  I  was  setting  there,  in  the  night,  floating 
about  on  the  drift,  I  felt  happier  and  better  off  than  I 
had  ever  had  in  my  life  before,  for  I  had  just  made  such 
a  marvellous  escape,  that  I  had  forgot  almost  every  thing 
else  in  that ;  and  so  I  felt  prime. 

In  the  morning  about  sunrise,  we  saw  a  boat  coming 
down,  and  we  hailed  her.  They  sent  a  large  skiff,  and 
took  us  all  on  board,  and  carried  us  down  as  far  as 
Memphis.  Here  I  met  with  a  friend,  that  I  never  can 
forget  as  long  as  I  am  able  to  go  ahead  at  anything  ;  it 
was  a  Major  Winchester,  a  merchant  of  that  place :  he  let 
us  all  have  hats,  and  shoes,  and  some  little  money  to  go 
upon,  and  so  we  all  parted. 

A  young  man  and  myself  concluded  to  go  on  down  to 
Natchez,  to  see  if  we  could  hear  anything  of  our  boats ; 
for  we  supposed  they  would  float  out  from  the  raft,  and 
keep  on  down  the  river.  We  got  on  a  boat  at  Memphis, 
that  was  going  down,  and  so  cut  out.  Our  largest  boat, 
*  e  were  informed,  had  been  seen  about  fifty  miles  below 
^here  we  stove,  and  an  attempt  had  been  made  to  land 
her,  but  without  success,  as  she  was  as  hard  headed  as 
over. 

This  was  the  last  of  my  boats,  and  of  mv  boating ;  for 
U 


162  CROCKETT    RETURNS    HOME. 

it  went  so  badly  with  me,  along  at  the  first,  that  I  had 
not  much  mind  to  try  it  any  more.  I  now  returned 
home  again,  and  as  the  next  August  was  the  Congressional 
election,  I  began  to  turn  my  attention  a  little  to  that 
matter,  as  it  was  beginning  to  be  talked  of  a  good  deal 
among  the  people.* 

*  Every  thing  of  the  speculative  or  business  sort  seems  to  have 
turned  out  badly  with  the  Colonel.  He  had  no  talent  for  that  sort 
of  thing.  His  real  forte  in  the  way  of  exertion,  was  war  and  bear- 
hunting.  Politics  was  rather  an  amusement ;  and  yet  on  the  whole 
he  was  successful  in  this  line.  His  stmnp  speeches,  m;ide  off  hand, 
pleased  the  people  more  than  the  elaborate  performances  of  highly 
educated  orators,  and  his  course  in  Congress  gained  him  the  respect 
of  the  first  statesmen  of  his  time,  as  w«  Khali  see  in  the  sequel  01  bis 
narrative. 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

Colonel  Crockett  enters  on  a  new  canvass  for  Congress — A  friend 
supplies  "  the  Sinews  of  war" — Electioneering — A  Stump  speech— 
Incident  of  the  Guinea-fowls  turned  to  a  good  account — Crockett 
elected — Serves  in  Congress  during  Adams'  administration — Re- 
elected  to  Congress — Votes  against  the  Indian  bill — Political  per 
secution — Crockett  proposed  for  Congress  again — Defeated- 
Crockett's  district  Gerrymande»'«xl  to  keep  him  out  of  Congress — 
He  is  elected. 

I  HAVE,  heretofore,  informed  the  reader  that  I  had  de 
termined  to  run  this  race  to  sef*  what  effect  the  price  of 
cotton  would  have  again  on  it.  I  now  had  Colonel  Alex 
ander  to  run  against  once  morer  and  also  General  William 
Arnold. 

I  had  difficulties  enough  to  fight  against  this  time,  as 
every  one  will  suppose ;  for  I  had  no  money,  and  a  very 
bad  prospect,  so  far  as  I  know'd,  of  getting  any  to  help 
me  along.  I  had,  however,  a  good  friend,  who  sent  for 
me  to  come  and  see  him.  I  went,  and  he  was  good 
enough  to  offer  me  some  money  to  he?p  me  out.  I  bor 
rowed  as  much  as  I  thought  I  needed  at  the  start,  and 
wont  ahead.  My  friend  also  had  a  good  deal  of  business 
about  ov7er  the  district  at  the  different  courts ;  and  if  he 
now  and  then  slipp'd  in  a  good  word  for  me,  it  is  no 
body's  business.  We  frequently  met  at  different  places, 
and,  as  he  thought  1  needed,  he  would  occasionally  hand 

aw 


164  ELECTED  TO   CONGRESS. 

me  a  little  more  cash ;  so  I  was  able  to  buy  a  little  of 
"  the  creature,"  to  put  my  friends  in  a  good  humor,  as 
well  as  the  other  gentlemen,  for  they  all  treat  in  that 
country  ;  not  to  get  elected,  of  course — for  that  would  be 
against  the  law ;  but  just,  as  I  before  said,  to  make  them 
selves  and  their  friends  feel  their  keeping  a  little. 

Nobody  ever  did  know  how  I  got  money  to  get  along 
on,  till  after  the  election  was  over,  and  I  had  beat  my 
competitors  twenty-seven  hundred  and  forty-eight  votes. 
Even  the  price  of  cotton  couldn't  save  my  friend  Aleck 
this  time.  My  rich  friend,  who  had  been  so  good  to  me 
in  the  way  of  money,  now  sent  for  me,  and  loaned  me  a 
hundred  dollars,  and  told  me  to  go  ahead:  that  that 
amount  would  bear  my  expenses  to  Congress,  and  I  must 
then  shift  for  myself.  I  came  on  to  Washington,  and 
draw'd  two  hundred  and  fifty  dollars,  and  purchased  with 
it  a  check  on  the  bank  at  Nashville,  and  enclosed  it  to 
my  friend ;  and  I  may  say,  in  truth,  I  sent  this  money 
with  a  mighty  good  will,  for  I  reckon  nobody  in  this 
world  loves  a  friend  better  than  me,  or  remembers  a 
kindness  longer. 

I  have  now  given  the  close  of  the  election,  but  I 
have  skjpp'd  entirely  over  the  canvass,  of  which  I  will 
gay  a  very  few  things  in  this  piace ,  as  I  know  very  well 
how  to  tell  the  truth,  but  not  much  about  placing  them 
in  book  order,  so  as  to  please  critics. 

Col.  Alexander  was  a  very  clever  fellow,  and  principal 
surveyor  at  that  time ;  so  much  for  one  of  the  men  I  had 
to  run  against.  My  other  competitor  was  a  major-gene 
ral  in  the  militia,  and  an  attorney-general  at  the  law, 
and  quite  a  smart,  clever  man  also ',  and  so  it  will  be  seen 


A   STUMP   SPEECH.  16& 

I  had  war  work  as  well  as  law  trick  to  stand  up  under. 
Taking  both  together,  they  make  a  pretty  considerable 
of  a  load  for  any  one  man  to  carry.  But  for  war  claims, 
I  consider  myself  behind  no  man  except  uthe  govern 
ment,"  and  mighty  little,  if  any,  behind  him;  but  this 
the  people  will  have  to  determine  hereafter,  as  I  reckon 
it  won't  do  to  quit  the  work  of  "  reform  and  retrench 
ment"  yet  for  a  spell. 

But  my  two  competitors  seemed  some  little  afraid  of 
the  influence  of  each  other,  but  not  to  think  me  in  their 
way  at  all.  They,  therefore,  were  generally  working 
against  each  other,  while  I  was  going  ahead  for  myself, 
and  mixing  among  the  people  in  the  best  way  I  could. 
I  was  as  cunning  as  a  little  red  fox,  and  wouldn't  risk 
my  tail  in  a  "  committal  trap." 

I  found  the  sign  was  good,  almost  every  where  I  went. 
On  one  occasion,  while  we  were  in  the  eastern  counties 
of  the  district,  it  happened  that  we  all  had  to  make  a 
speech,  and  it  fell  on  me  to  make  the  first  one.  I  did 
so  after  my  manner,  and  it  turned  pretty  much  on  the 
old  saying,  "  A  short  horse  is  soon  curried,"  as  I  spoke 
not  very  long.  Colonel  Alexander  followed  me,  and 
then  General  Arnold  come  on. 

The  general  took  much  pains  to  reply  to  Alexander, 
but  didn't  so  much  as  let  on  that  there  was  any  such 
candidate  as  myself  at  all.  He  had  been  speaking  for  a 
considerable  time,  when  a  large  flock  of  guinea-fowls 
came  very  near  to  where  he  was,  and  set  up  the  most 
unmerciful  chattering  that  ever  was  heard,  for  they  are 
a  noisy  little  brute  any  way.  They  so  confused  the 
general,  that  he  made  a  stop,  and  requested  that  they 


166  .          THE   GUINEA   FOWLS. 

might  be  driven  away.  I  let  him  finish  his  speech,  and 
then  walking  up  to  him,  said  aloud,  "  Well,  colonel,  you 
are  the  first  man  I  ever  saw  that  understood  the  language 
of  fowls."  I  told  him  that  he  had  not  had  the  politeness  to 
name  me  in  his  speech,  and  that  when  my  little  frien  Is,  the 
guinea-fowls,  had  come  up  and  began  to  holler,  "  Crock 
ett,  Crockett,  Crockett,"  he  had  been  ungenerous  enough 
to  stop,  and  drive  them  all  away.  This  raised  a  univer 
sal  shout  among  the  people  for  me,  and  the  general 
seemed  mighty  bad  plagued.  But  he  got  more  plagued 
than  this  at  the  polls  in  August,  as  I  have  stated  before. 
'  This  election  was  in  1827,  and  I  can  say,  on  my  con 
science,  that  I  was  without  disguise,  the  friend  and  sup 
porter  of  General  Jackson,  upon  his  principles  as  he  had 
laid  them  down,  and  as  "  I  understood  them,"  before  his 
election  as  President.  During  my  two  rirst  sessions  in 
Congress,  Mr.  Adams  was  president,  and  I  worked  along 
with  what  was  called  the  Jackson  party  pretty  well.  I 
was  re-elected  to  Congress  in  1829,  by  an  overwhelming 
majority ;  and  soon  after  the  commencement  of  this  sec 
ond  term,  I  saw,  or  thought  I  did,  that  it  was  expected 
of  me  that  I  would  bow  to  the  name  of  Andrew  Jackson, 
and  follow  him  in  all  his  motions,  and  windings,  and  turn 
ings,  even  at  the  expense  of  my  conscience  and  judg 
ment.  Such  a  thing  was  new  to  me,  and  a  total  stran 
ger  to  my  principles.  I  know'd  well  enough,  though, 
that  if  1  didn't  "hurra"  for  his  name,  the  hue  and  cry 
was  to  be  raised  against  me,  and  I  was  to  be  sacrificed,- 
if  possible.  His  famous,  or  rather  I  should  say  his  in- 
famouSj  Indian  bill  was  brought  forward,  and  I  opposed 
i*  from  the  purest  motives  in  the  world.  Several  of  my 


POLITICAL    PERSECUTION.  167 

colleagues  got  around  me,  and  told  me  how  well  they 
loved  me,  and  that  I  was  ruining  myself.  They  said 
this  was  a  favorite  measure  of  the  president,  and  I  ought 
to  go  fox  it.  I  told  them  I  believed  it  was  a  wicked, 
unjust  measure,  and  that  I  should  go  against  it,  let  the 
cost  to  myself  be  what  it  might ;  that  I  was  willing  to 
go  with  General  Jackson  in  everything  that  I  believe  1 
was  honest  and  right ;  but,  further  than  this,  I  wouldn't 
go  for  him,  or  any  other  man  in  the  whole  creation ;  that 
I  would  sooner  be  honestly  and  politically  d — nd,  than 
hypocritically  immortalized.  I  had  been  elected  by  a 
majority  of  three  thousand  five  hundred  and  eighty-five 
votes,  and  I  believed  they  were  honest  men,  and  wouldn't 
want  me  to  vote  for  any  unjust  notion,  to  please  Jack 
son  or  any  one  else ;  at  any  rate,  I  was  of  age,  and  de 
termined  to  trust  them.  I  voted  against  this  Indian  bill, 
and  my  conscience  yet  tells  me  that  1  gave  a  good  hon 
est  vote,  and  one  that  I  believe  will  not  make  me 
ashamed  in  the  day  of  judgment.  I  served  out  my  term, 
and  though  many  amusing  things  happened,  I  am  not 
disposed  to  swell  my  narrative  by  inserting  them. 

When  it  closed,  and  I  returned  home,  I  found  the 
storm  had  raised  against  me  sure  enough ;  and  it  was 
echoed  from  side  to  side,  and  from  end  to  end  of  my  dis 
trict,  that  I  had  turned  against  Jackson.  This  was  con 
sidered  the  unpardonable  sin.  I  was  hunted  down  like 
a  wild  varment,  and  in  this  hunt  every  little  newspaper 
in  the  district,  and  every  little  pin-hook  lawyer  was  en 
gaged.  Indeed,  they  were  ready  to  print  anything  and 
everything  that  the  ingenuity  of  man  could  invent  against 
ine.  Each  editor  was  furnished  with  the  journals  of 


168  CROCKETT   DEFEATED. 

Congress  from  head-quarters  ;  and  hunted  out  every  vote 
I  had  missed  in  four  sessions,  whether  from  sickness  or 
not,  no  matter:  and  each  one  was  charged  against  me  at 
eiyht  dollars.  In  all  I  had  missed  about  seventy  votes, 
which  they  made  amount  to  five  hundred  and  sixty  dol 
lars  ;  and  they  contended  that  I  had  swindled  the  gov 
ernment  out  of  this  sum,  as  I  received  my  pay,  as  other 
members  do.  I  was  now  again  a  candidate  in  1830, 
while  all  the  attempts  were  making  against  me ;  and 
every  one  of  these  little  papers  kept  up  a  constant  war 
on  me,  fighting  with  every  scurrilous  report  they  coulc* 
3atch. 

Over  all  I  should  have  been  elected,  if  it  hadn't  been 
that  but  a  few  weeks  before  the  election,  the  little  four- 
pence-ha'-penny  limbs  of  the  law  fell  en  a  plan  to  defeat 
me,  which  had  the  desired  effect.  They  agreed  to  spread 
out  over  the  district,  and  make  appointments  for  me  to 
speak  almost  everywhere  to  clear  up  the  Jackson  ques 
tion.  They  would  give  me  v  j  notice  of  these  appoint 
ments,  and  the  people  would  meet  in  great  crowds  to 
hear  what  excuse  Crockett  had  to  make  for  quitting 
Jackson. 

But  instead  of  Crockett's  being  'there,  this  small-fry 
of  lawyers  would  be  there,  with  their  saddle-bags  full  of 
the  little  newspapers  and  their  journals  of  Congress,  and 
would  get  up  and  speak,  and  read  their  scurrilous  attacks 
on  me,  and  would  then  tell  the  people  that  I  was  afraid 
to  attend;  and  in  this  way  would  turn  many  against  me. 
All  this  intrigue  was  kept  a  profound  secret  from  me, 
till  it  was  too  late  to  counteract  it ;  and  when  the  elec 
tion  came,  I  had  a  majority  in  seventeen  counties,  put- 


CROCKETT'S  DISTRICT  GERRYMANDERED.         169 

ting  all  their  votes  together,  hut  the  eighteenth  heat  me ; 
and  so  I  was  left  out  of  Congress  during  those  two  years. 
The  people  of  my  district  were  induced,  by  these  tricks, 
to  take  a  stay  on  me  for  that  time  ;  hut  they  have  since 
found  out  that  they  were  imposed  on,  and  on  re-consid 
ering  my  case,  have 'reversed  that  decision,  which,  as  the 
Dutchman  said,  "  is  as  fair  a  ding  as  eber  was." 

When  I  last  declared  myself  a  candidate,  I  knew  that 
the  district  would  he  divided  by  the  Legislature  before 
the  election  would  come  on  ;  and  I  moreover  knew,  that 
from  the  geographical  situation  of  the  country,  the 
county  of  Madison,  which  was  very  strong,  and  which 
was  the  county  that  had  given  the  majority  that  had 
beat  me  in  the  former  race,  should  be  left  off  from  my 
district. 

But  when  the  Legislature  met,  as  I  had  been  informed, 
and  I  have  no  doubt  of  the  fact,  Mr.  Fitzgerald,  my  com 
petitor,  went  up  and  informed  his  friends  in  that  body, 
that  if  Madison  county  was  left  off,  he  wouldn't  run  ;  for 
"  that  Crockett  could  beat  Jackson  himself  in  those 
parts,  in  any  way  they  could  fix  it." 

The  liberal  Legislature  you  know,  of  course,  gave  him 
that  county  ;  and  it  is  too  clear  to  admit  of  dispute,  that 
it  was  done  to  make  a  mash  of  me.  In  order  to  make 
my  district  in  this  way,  they  had  to  form  the  southern 
district  of  a  string  of  counties  around  three  sides  of  mine, 
or  very  nearly  so.  Had  my  old  district  been  properly 
divided,  it  would  have  made  two  nice  ones  in  convenient 
nice  form.  But  as  it  is,  they  are  certainly  the  most  un 
reasonably  laid  off  of  any  in  the  State,  or  perhaps  in  the 
nation,  or  even  in  the  tetotal  creation. 


1/0  CROCKETT    ELECTED. 

However,  when  the  election  came  on,  the  people  of  the 
district  and  of  Madison  county  among  the  rest,  seemed 
disposed  to  prove  to  Mr.  Fitzgerald  and  the  Jackson  Le 
gislature,  that  they  were  not  to  be  transferred  like  hogs, 
and  horses,  and  cattle  in  the  market ;  and  they  deter 
mined  that  I  shouldn't  be  broke  down,  though  I  had  to 
carry  Jackson,  and  the  enemies  of  the  bank,  and  the 
legislative  works  all  at  once.  I  had  Mr.  Fitzgerald,  it 
is  true,  for  my  open  competitor,  but  he  was  helped  along 
by  all  his  little  lawyers  again,  headed  by  old  Black  Hawk,  as 
he  is  sometimes  called,  (alias)  Adam  Huntsman,  with  all 
his  talents  for  writing  "  Chronicles,"  and  such  like  fool 
ish  stuff. 

But  one  good  thing  was,  and  I  must  record  it,  the  pa 
pers  in  the  district  were  now  beginning  to  say  "  fair  play 
a  little,"  and  they  would  publish  on  both  sides  the  ques 
tion.  The  contest  was  a  warm  one,  and  the  battle  well 
fought ;  but  I  gained  the  day,  and  the  Jackson  horse  was 
left  a  little  behind.  When  the  polls  were  compared,  it 
turned  out  I  had  beat  Fitz  just  two  hundred  and  two 
votes,  baving  made  a  mash  of  ajl  their  intrigues. 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 

Color,  cl  Crockett  commences  his  tour  to  the  Northern  States — Enter 
tained  at  Barnum's  Hotel  in  Baltimore — Passage  to  Philadelphia 
— Crockett's  Toast — Grand  Reception  at  Philadelphia — Arrival 
at  United  States  Hotel — Crockett's  Speech — Walk  round  the 
Quaker  City  at  night — Visited  by  distinguished  citizens — Visit  tc 
the  Water  Works,  the  Mint,  ayd  the  Asylum  for  .'he  Insane — - 
Crockett's  Speech  at  the  Exchange — Great  Applause — Goes  to  the 
Walnut  Street  Theatre — Crockett  presented  with  a  Watch-Seal, 
and  Rifle — Visits  the  Navy  Yard — Takes  a  ride  with  Colonel  Ree- 
side — Takes  a  supper  with  Mr.  Dorrance,  and  makes  a  call  on  Col 
onel  Saint. 

DURING  the  session  of  this  Congress,  I  thought  I 
would  take  a  travel  through  the  Northern  States.  I  had 
oraved  the  lonely  forests  of  the  West,  I  had  shouldered 
the  warrior's  rifle  in  the  far  South ;  but  the  North  and 
East  I  had  never  seen.  I  seemed  to  like  members  of 
Congress  who  came  from  these  parts,  and  wished  to  know 
what  kind  of  constituents  they  had.  These  considera 
tions,  in  addition  to  my  physician's  advice  to  travel  a 
little  for  my  health,  induced  me  to  leave  Washington  on 
the  25th  day  of  April,  1834,  and  steer  for  the  North. 

I  arrived  the  same  evening  at  Barnum's  Hotel,  in  Bal 
timore.  Uncle  Davy,  as  he  is  often  called,  was  right 
glad  to  see  me,  perhaps,  because  we  were  namesakes ;  or 

may-be  he  always  likes  to  see  folks  patronize  his  house 

(171) 


172  CROCKETT  TRAVELS   NORTH. 

He  has  a  pleasant  face,  any  how,  and  his  acts  don't  belie 
it.  No  one  need  look  for  better  quarters  ;  if  they  do,  it 
will  be  because  they  don't  know  when  they  are  satis 
fied. 

Shortly  after  I  arrived,  I  was  called  upon  and  askod 
to  eat  supper  with  a  number  of  gentlemen.  I  went  and 
passed  the  evening  pleasantly  with  my  friend  Wilkes  and 
others. 

Early  next  morning,  I  started  for  Philadelphia,  a 
place  where  I  had  never  been..  I  sort  of  felt  lonesome 
as  I  went  down  to  the  steamboat.  The  idea  of  going 
among  a  new  people,  where  there  are  tens  of  thousands 
who  would  pass  me  by  without  knowing  or  caring  who  I 
was,  who  are  all  taken  up  with  their  own  pleasures  or 
their  own  business,  made  me  feel  small ;  and,  indeed,  if 
any  one  who  reads  this  book  has  a  grand  idea  of  his  own 
importance,  let  him  go  to  a  big  city,  and  he  will  find  that 
he  is  not  higher  valued  than  a  coon-skin. 

The  steamboat  was  the  Carroll  of  Carrollton,  a  fine 
craft,  with  the  rum  old  commodore  Chaytor  for  head 
man.  A  good  fellow  he  is — all  sorts  of  a  man — bowing 
and  scraping  to  the  ladies,  nodding  to  the  gentlemen, 
cursing  the  crew,  and  his  right  eye  broad-cast  upon  the 
"opposition  line,"  all  at  the  same  time.  "  Let  go!" 
said  the  old  one,  and  oft*  we  walked  in  prime  style. 

We  immediately  came  past  Fort  McHenry,  justly  cel 
ebrated  for  its  gallant  defence  under  Armistead,  Stew 
art,  Nicholson,  Newcomb,  and  others,  during  the  last 
war  ;  and  shortly  after  we  passed  North  Point,  where 
the  British  landed  to  make,  what  they  never  dared,  an 
ittack  on  Baltimore. 


'  CROCKETT'S  TOAST.  173 

Our  passage  down  the  Chesapeake  bay  was  very  plea- 
nant;  and  in  a  very  short  run  we  came  to  the  place 
where  we  were  to  get  on  board  of  the  railroad  cars. 

This  was  a  clean  new  sight  to  me ;  about  a  dozen  big 
Btages  hung  on  to  one  machine,  and  to  start  up  hill. 
After  a  good  deal  of  fuss,  we  all  got  seated  and  moved 
Blowly  off,  the  engine  wheezing  as  if  she  had  the  tizzick. 
By-and-by  she  began  to  take  short  breaths,  and  away  we 
went  with  a  blue  streak  after  us.  The  whole  distance  is 
seventeen  miles,  and  it  was  run  in  fifty-five  minutes. 

While  I  was  whizzing  along,  I  burst  out  a  laughing. 
One  of  the  passengers  asked  me  what  it  was  at.  "  Why,*' 
says  I,  "it's  no  wonder  the  fellow's  horses  run  off."  A 
Carolina  wagoner  had  just  crossed  the  rail-road,  from 
Charleston  to  Augusta,  when  the  engine  hove  in  sight 
with  the  cars  attached.  It  was  growing  dark,  and  the 
sparks  were  flying  in  all  directions.  His  horses  ran  off, 
broke  his  wagon,  and  smashed  his  combustibles  into 
items.  He  run  to  a  house  for  help,  and  when  they  asked 
him  what  scared  his  horses,  he  said  he  did  not  jist  know, 
but  it  must  be  hell  in  harness. 

At  Delaware  City,  I  again  embarked  on  board  of  a 
splendid  steamboat,  which  ran  to  Philadelphia. 

When  dinner  was  ready,  I  set  down  with  the  rest  of 
the  passengers ;  among  them  was  the  Rev.  0.  B.  Brown 
of  the  Post  Office  Department,  who  sat  near  me.  During 
dinner,  the  parson  called  for  a  bottle  of  wine,  and  called 
on  me  for  a  toast.  Not  knowing  whether  he  intended  to 
compliment  me,  or  abash  me  among  so  many  strangers, 
or  have  some  fun  at  my  expense,  I  concluded  to  go 
ahead,  and  give  him  and  his  likes  a  blizzard.  So  our 


174        RECEPTION  AT  PHILADELPHIA. 

glasses  being  filled,  the  word  went  round,  "  a  toast  from 
Colonel  Crockett."  I  gave  it  as  follows :  "  Here's  wish 
ing  the  bones  of  tyrant  kings  may  answer  in  hell,  in 
place  of  gridirons,  to  roast  the  souls  of  Tories  en."  At 
this  the  parson  appeared  as  if  he  was  stump't.  I  said. 
"Never  heed;  it  was  meant  for  where  it  belonged." 
He  did  not  repeat  his  invitation,  and  I  eat  my  dinner 
quietly. 

After  dinner  I  went  up  on  the  deck,  and  saw  the  captain 
hoisting  three  flags.  Says  I,  "  What  does  that  mean  ?" 
He  replied,  that  he  was  under  promise  to  the  citizens  of 
Philadelphia,  if  I  was  on  board,  to  hoist  his  flags,  as  a 
friend  of  mine  had  said  he  expected  I  would  be  along 
soon. 

We  went  on  till  we  came  in  sight  of  the  city ;  and  as 
we  advanced  towards  the  wharf,  I  saw  the  whole  face  of 
the  earth  covered  with  people,  all  anxiously  looking  on 
towards  the  boat.  The  captain  and  myself  were  stand 
ing  on  the  bow-deck ;  he  pointed  his  finger  at  me,  and 
people  slung  their  hats,  and  huzzaed  for  Colonel 
Crockett.  It  struck  me  with  astonishment,  to  hear  a 
strange  people  huzzaing  for  me,  and  made  me  feel  sort 
of  queer.  It  took  me  so  uncommon  unexpected,  as  I 
had  no  idea  of  attracting  attention.  But  I  had  to  meet 
it,  and  so  I  stepped  on  to  the  wharf,  where  the  folks 
came  crowding  around  me,  saying,  "  Give  me  the  hand 
of  an  honest  man."  I  did  not  know  what  all  this  meant : 
but  some  gentleman  took  hold  of  me,  and  pressing 
through  the  crowd,  put  me  into  an  elegant  barouche, 
drawn  by  four  fine  horses ;  they  then  told  me  to 
bow  to  the  people :  I  did  so,  and  with  much  difficulty 


CROCKETT'S  SPEECH.  175 

we  moved  off.  The  streets  were  crowded  to  a  great  dis 
tance,  and  the  windows  full  of  people,  looking  out  I  sup 
posed,  to  see  the  wild  "man.  I  thought  I  had  rather  be 
in  the  wilderness  with  my  gun  and  dogs,  than  to  be  at 
tracting  all  that  fuss.  I  had  never  seen  the  like  before, 
and  did  not  know  exactly  what  to  say  or  do.  After 
some  time  we  reached  the  United  States  Hotel  in  Che»- 
nut  Street. 

The  crowd  had  followed  me,  filling  up  the  street,  and 
pressing  into  the  house  to  shake  hands.  I  was  con 
ducted  up  stairs,  and  walked  out  on  a  platform,  drew  off 
my  hat,  and  bowed  round  to  the  people.  They  cried 
out  from  all  quarters,  "A  speech,  a  speech,  Colonel 
Crockett." 

After  the  noise  had  quit,  so  I  could  be  heard,  I  said 
to  them  the  following  words : 

"  GENTLEMEN  OF  PHILADELPHIA  : — My  visit  to  your 
city  is  rather  accidental.  I  had  no  expectation  of  at 
tracting  any  uncommon  attention.  I  am  traveling  for 
my  health,  without  the  least  wish  of  exciting  the  people 
in  such  times  of  high  political  feeling.  I  do  not  wish  to 
encourage  it.  I  am  unable  at  this  time  to  find  language 
suitable  to  return  my  gratitude  to  the  citizens  of  Phila 
delphia.  However,  I  am  almost  induced  to  believe  it 
flattery — perhaps  a  burlesque.  This  is  new  to  me,  yet  1 
Bee  nothing  but  friendship  in  your  faces ;  and  if  your 
curiosity  is  to  hear  the  backwoodsman,  I  will  assure  you 
I  am  illy  prepared  to  address  this  most  enlightened  peo 
ple.  However,  gentlemen,  if  this  is  a  curiosity  to  you, 
if  you  will  meet  me  to-morrow,  at  one  o'clock,  I  will  en- 


176  VISITS   THE  WATER   WORKS. 

teavor   to   address   you  in   my  plain  manner."     So  1 
made  my  obeisance  to  them,  and  retired  into  the  house. 

After  night,  when  I  could  walk  out  unknown,  I  went 
up  street  or  down,  I  don't  know  which,  but  took  good 
care  not  to  turn  any  corners,  for  fear  I  might  get  lost. 
I  soon  found  that  the  streets  were  laid  off  square.  This  I 
thought  was  queer  enough  for  a  Quaker  city,  for  they  don't 
generally  come  up  square  to  nothing ;  even  their  coats 
have  a  kind  of  slope,  at  least  so  they  have  cut  Mister 
Penn's  coat  in  the  capitol.  This  may  be  wrong,  too,  for 
I  was  told  that  when  the  man  who  made  him,  first 
knocked  off  "  the  kivers"  of  the  house  where  he  worked 
at  him,  he  had  cut  out  Mister  Penn  with  a  regular  built 
continental  cocked  hat  on ;  and  it  was  so  much  laughed 
at,  to. see  such  a  hat  on  a  Quaker,  that  as  soon  as  Con 
gress  rose,  he  cut  off  his  head,  and  worked  on  a  new  one, 
with  a  rale  sloped  broad  brim.  Which  is  the  honest 
George  Fox  hat,  I  leave  for  Philadelphia  lawyers  and 
persons  to  decide. 

When  I  went  to  my  room,  and  got  to  bed,  I  could  not 
sleep,  thinking  over  all  that  passed,  and  my  promise 
also  to  speak  the  next  day ;  but  at  last  I  composed  my 
self  with  the  reflection  that  I  had  got  through  many  a 
scrape  before,  so  I  thought  I'd  trust  again  to  good  luck. 

Next  morning  I  had  the  honor  of  being  called  on  by 
some  old  friends  whom  I  knew  at  Washington — Judge 
Baldwin,  Judge  Hemphill,  John  Sergeant,  and  others, 
and  I  took  it  right  kind  in  them  to  do  so. 

Early  after  breakfast  I  was  taken  to  the  Water-works, 
where  I  saw  several  of  the  gentlemen  managers.  This 
is  a  grand  sight,  and  no  wonder  the  Philadelphians  ask 


THE    MINT.  177 

everyone  that  comes,  "  Have  you  seen  the  Water- works?" 
Just  think  of  a  few  wheels  throwing  up  more  water  than 
live  hundred  thousand  people  can  use :  yes,  and  waste, 
too ;  for  such  scrubbing  of  steps,  and  even  the  very 
I  aveinents  under  your  feet,  I  never  saw.  Indeed,  I 
looked  close  to  see  if  the  house-maids  had  not  web-feet, 
they  walked  so  well  in  water ;  and  as  for  a  fire,  it  has 
no  chance  at  all ;  they  just  screw  ~on  a  long  hollow 
leather  with  a  brass  nose  on  it,  dash  up  stairs,  and  seem 
to  draw  on  Noah's  flood. 

The  next  place  I  visited  was  the  Mint.  Here  I  saw 
them  coining  gold  and  silver  in  abundance,  and  they 
were  the  rale  "  e  pluribus  unum ;"  not  this  electioneering 
trash,  that  they  sent  out  to  cheat  the  poor  people,  telling 
them  they  would  all  be  paid  in  gold  and  silver,  when  the 
poor  deceived  creatures  had  nothing  coining  to  them.  A 
chip  with  a  spit  on  the  back  of  it,  is  as  good  currency 
as  an  eagle,  provided  you  can't  get  the  image  of  the 
bird.  It's  all  nonsense.  The  President,  both  cabinets 
and  Congress  to  boot,  can't  enact  poor  men  into  rich. 
Hard  knocks,  and  plenty  of  them,  can  only  build  up  a 
fellow's  self. 

I  asked  if  the  workmen  never  stole  any  of  the  coin. 
They  said  not :  they  got  used  to  it.  Well,  I  thought 
that  was  what  my  parson  would  call  heterodox  doctrine  , 
that  the  longer  a  man  was  in  temptation,  the  more  he 
would  not  sin.  But  I  let  it  pass,  for  I  had  heard  that 
they  had  got  "new  lights"  in  this  city,  and,  of  course, 
new  and  genuine  doctrines  —  so  that  the  Bible-doxy 
stood  no  chance.  I  could  not  help,  barring  the  doctrine, 
giving  these  honest  men  great  credit ;  especially  when 
12 


178  INSANE  ASYLUM. 

I  recollected  an  old  sanctimoniouslyfied  fellow,  who  mada 
His  negroes  whistle  while  they  were  picking  cherries,  for 
tear  they  should  eat  some. 

From  the  Mint  I  was  taken  to  the  Asylum  for  insane 
persons,  went  through  different  apartments,  saw  men 
and  women,  some  quite  distracted,  :others  not  so  bad, 
This  was  a  very  unpleasant  sight.  I  am  not  able,  nor 
do  I  wish  I  was  able,  to  describe  it.  I  felt  monstrous 
solemn,  and  could  not  help  thanking  God  I  was  not  one 
of  them ;  and  I  felt  grateful  in  their  stead  to  that  city 
for  caring  for  those  who  could  not  take  care  of  them 
selves,  and  feeding  them  that  heeded  not  the  hand  and 
heart  that  provided  for  them. 

On  returning  to  the  hotel,  the  hour  had  nearly  arrived 
when  I  was  to  visit  the  Exchange.  I  asked  Colonel 
Dorrance,  the  landlord,  to  go  with  me.  He  is  a  very 
clever  man,  and  made  me  feel  quite  at  home  in  his  house. 
Whoever  goes  there  once,  will  go  back  again.  So  he 
agreed,  and  off  we  started. 

I  had  made  set  speeches  in  Congress,  and  especially 
on  my  Tennessee  land  bill,  when  all  my  colleagues  were 
against  me ;  I  had  made  stump  speeches  at  home,  in  the 
face  of  all  the  little  office  yelpers  who  were  opposed  to 
me ;  but,  indeed,  when  I  got  within  sight  of  the  Ex 
change,  and  saw  the  streets  crowded,  I  most  wished  to 
take  back  my  promise ;  but  I  was  brought  up  by  hearing 
a  youngster  say,  as  I  passed  by,  "  Go  ahead,  Davy 
Crockett."  I  said  to  myself,  "  I  have  faced  the  enemy; 
these  are  friends.  I  have  fronted  the  savage  red  man 
of  the  forest ;  these  are  civilized.  I'll  keep  cool,  and 
let  them  have  it." 


SPEECH    AT   THE    EXCHANGE.  179 

I  was  conducted  to  the  house  of  a  Mr.  Neil ;  where  1 
met  several  gentlemen,  and  took  some  refreshment,  not 
passing  by  a  little  Dutch  courage.  Of  the  latter  there 
was  plenty ;  and  I  observed  the  man  of  the  house,  when 
he  asked  me  to  drink,  he  didn't  stand  by  to  see  what  J 
took,  but  turned  away,  and  told  me  to  help  myself. 
That's  what  I  call  genteel. 

Arrived  at  the  Exchange,  I  crowded  through,  went 
up  to  the  second  floor,  and  walked  out  on  the  porch, 
drew  off  my  hat,  and  made  my  bow ;  speaking  was  out 
of  the  question,  the  huzzas  for  Crockett  were  so  loud 
and  so  long. 

The  time  had  come  when  my  promise  must  be  kept. 
There  must  have  been  more  than  five  thousand  people, 
and  they  were  still  gathering  from  all  parts.  I  spoke 
for  about  half  an  hour. 

Three  times  three  cheers  closed  the  concern,  and  1 
came  down  to  the  door,  where  it  appeared  as  if  all  the 
world  had  a  desire  to  shake  hands  with  me.  I  stood  on 
the  door-step,  and,  as  Major  Jack  Downing  said,  shook 
hands  as  hard  as  I  could  spring  for  near  an  hour.  After 
this  I  returned  to  the  hotel,  and  remained  until  night, 
when  I  was  asked  to  visit  the  theatre  in  Walnut  street. 
The  landlord,  Dorrance,  and  others,  were  to  go  with  me, 
to  see  Jim  Crow.  While  we  were  talking  about  it,  one 
of  them  said  he  could  go  all  over  the  world  '*To  e-row 
juicy."  Some  laughed  very  hearty,  and  others  did  not, 
I  was  among  the  latter,  for  I  considered  it  &  dry  joke, 
although  there  was  something  juicy  in  it.  Soiae  of  them 
said  it  was  Latin  ;  arid  that  proved  to  me  the  reason 
why  I  did  not  laugh — I  was  tired  of  the  "  D!  1  R  ,mun/ 


180  GOES    TO   THE    THEATRE. 

But  these  Philadelphians  are  eternally  cutting  up  jokes 
on  words ;  so  I  puts  a  conundrum  to  them  ;  and  says  I, 
"  Can  you  tell  me  why  the  sacking  of  Jerusalem  was 
like  a  cider-mill?"  Well,  they  all  were  stumped,  and 
gave  it  up.  "Because  it  made  the  Jews  fly."  Seeing 
them  so  much  pleased  with  this,  says  I,  "Why  is  a  cow 
bke  a  razor-grinder?"  No  one  could  answer.  "Well," 
s»yo  I,  "  I  thought  you  could  find  that  out,  for  I  don't 
know  myself." 

We  started  for  the  theatre,  and  found  a  very  full 
house,  and  Jim  a  playing  for  the  dear  life.  Jim  makes 
as  good  a  nigger  as  if  he  was  clean  black,  except  the 
bandy  legs. 

Everybody  seemed  pleased,  particularly  when  [ 
laughed  ;  they  appeared  to  act  as  if  I  knew  exactly  when 
to  laugh,  and  then  they  all  followed. 

What  a  pity  it  is  that  these  theatres  are  not  contrived 
that  everybody  could  go  ;  but  the  fact  is,  backwoodsman 
as  I  am,  I  have  heard  some  things  in  them  that  was  a 
leetle  too  tough  for  good  women  and  modest  men ;  and 
that's  a  great  pity,  because  there  are  thousands  of  scenes 
of  real  life  that  might  be  exhibited,  both  for  amusement 
and  edification,  witho-ut  offending.  Folks  pretend  to 
say  that  high  people  don't  mind  these  things.  Well,  it 
may  be  that  they  are  better  acquainted  with  vice  than 
we  plain  folks ;  but  I  am  yet  to  live  and  see  a  woman 
polished  out  of  the  natural  feelings,  or  too  high  not  to 
do  things  that  ain't  quite  reputable  in  those  of  low 
degree. 

Their  fiddling  was  pretty  good,  considering  every 
fellow  played  his  own  piece;  and  I  would  have  known 


PRESENTS  FROM  FRIENDS.          181 

more  about  it,  if  they  had  played  a  tune,  but  it  was  all 
twee-wee-tadlum-tadlum-tum-tum,  tadle-leedle-tadle-lee- 
dle-lee.  The  "Twenty-second  of  February,"  or  the 
"  Cuckoo's  Nest,"  would  have  been  a  treat. 

I  io  not  think,  however,  from  all  I  saw,  that  the 
people  enjoyed  themselves  better  than  we  do  at  a  country 
frolic,  where  we  dance  till  daylight,  and  pay  off  the 
score  by  giving  one  in  our  turn.  It  would  do  you  good 
to  see  our  boys  and  girls  dancing.  None  of  your  strad- 
ling,  mincing,  sadying ;  but  a  regular  sifter,  cut-the- 
buckle,  chicken-flutter  set-to.  It  is  good  wholesome  ex 
ercise  ;  and  when  one  of  our  boys  puts  his  arm  round  his 
partner,  it  is  a -good  hug,  and  no  harm  in  it. 

Next  morning  I  was  waited  on  by  some  gentlemen, 
who  presented  me  with  a  seal  for  my  watch-chain,  which 
cost  forty  dollars.  I  told  them  I  always  accepted  a 
present,  as  a  testimony  of  friendship.  The  engraving  on 
the  stone  represents  the  great  match  race,  two  horses  in 
full  speed,  and/ over  them  the  words  "  Go  ahead."  It  is 
the  finest  seal  I  ever  saw ;  and  when  I  returned  to  Wash 
ington,  the  members  almost  used  it  up,  making  copies  to 
send  all  over  the  country. 

I  was  hardly  done  making  my  bow  to  these  gentlemen, 
before  Mr.  James  M.  Sanderson  informed  me  that  the 
young  whigs  of  Philadelphia  had  a  desire  to  present  me 
with  a  fine  rifle,  and  had  chosen  him  to  have  her  made 
agreeable  to  my  wishes.  I  told  him  that  was  an  article 
that  I  knew  somewhat  about,  and  gave  him  the  size, 
weight,  &c. 

You  can't  imagine  how  I  was  crowded  to  get  through 
every  thing.  Colonel  Pulaski  called  to  take  me  in  hia 


182  VISIT   TO   THE   NAVY  YARD. 

carriage  to  the  Naval  Hospital,  where  they  stow  away 
the  old  sailors  on  dry  land,  and  a  splendid  building  it  is ; 
all  made  of  marble.  I  did  not  like  the  situation :  but  1 
suppose  it  was  the  best  they  could  get,  with  so  much 
ground  to  it. 

From  there  we  went  to  the  Navy  Yard,  and  examined 
the  largest  ship  ever  made  in  the  United  States.  She 
was  what  they  called  "  in  the  stocks." 

I  then  surveyed  the  artillery,  and  the  balance  of  the 
shipping,  not  forgetting  to  pay  my  respects  to  the  officers 
of  the  yard,  and  then  returned  home  with  the  colonel, 
where  I  was  kindly  treated,  both  in  eating  and  drinking ; 
and  so  ended  another  day. 

The  next  morning  the  land  admiral,  Colonel  Reeside, 
asked  me  to  call  on  him  and  take  a  ride.  I  did  so  ;  and 
he  carried  me  out  to  the  rail-road  and  Schuylkill  bridge. 
I  found  that  the  rail-road  was  finished  near  a  hundred 
miles  into  the  interior  of  the  State,  and  is  only  one  out 
t>f  many ;  and  yet  they  make  no  fuss  about  it. 

We  drove  in  past  the  Girard  school — that  old  man 
that  gave  so  many  millions  to  Philadelphia,  and  cut  out 
his  kin  with  a  crumb.  Well,  thinks  I,  blood  is  thicker 
than  water,  and  the  remembrance  of  friends  better  than  a 
big  name.  I'd  have  made  them  all  rich,  and  give  away  the 
balance.  But,  maybe,  French  people  don't  think  like  me. 

This  being  my  last  night  in  Philadelphia.  Dorrance 
gave  me  what  they  call  a  "pick  knick"  supper;  which 
means  as  much  as  me  and  all  my  company  could  eat  and 
drink,  and  nothing  to  pay. 

I  had  forgot  to  say  that  I  had  spent  part  of  the  even- 
nig  before  this  with  Colonel  Saint. 


CHAPTER   XIX. 

Oolonel  Crockett  starts  for  New  York — The  passage — Grand  recep. 
tion — Committee  of  young  whiga  invite  him  to  go  to  the  American 
Hotel — Goes  to  the  Park  Theatre — Sees  Fanny  Kemble — Hia 
opinion  of  that  actress — The  colonej  goes  to  a  fire — Makes  a  speech 
at  the  Exchange — Goes  to  Peale's  Museum  and  the  City  Hall — 
Dines  with  Col.  Draper — Invited  to  a  supper  by  the  Young  Whigs 
— Has  a  ride  with  Col.  Jackson— Visits  the  five  Points — Hia 
opinion  of  the  strange  sights  there — Introduced  to  Albert  Gallatin 
— Preparations  for  building  the  Astor  House — Celebration  at  the 
Battery — General  Morton — Gideon  Lee — Castle  Garden — Goes  to 
the  Bowery  Theatre— Colonel  Mapes — Grant  Thorburn — Rifle 
Shooting — The  Colonel  gives  a  Specimen. 

NEXT  morning,  Wednesday  the  29th,  I  was  invited  by 
Captain  Jenkins,  of  the  steamboat  New  Philadelphia,  to 
go  on  with  him  to  New  York,  I  accepted  his  offer  and 
started.  I  saw  nothing  very  particular  along  the  Dela 
ware  river,  except  the  place  where  all  the  hard  stone 
coal  comes  to,  from  the  interior  of  Pennsylvania ;  where, 
I  am  told,  they  have  mountains  of  it.  After  some  time,  t 
we  got  upon  a  rail-road  where  they  say  we  run  twenty- 
five  miles  to  the  hour.  I  can  only  judge  of  the  speed  by 
putting  my  head  out  to  spit,  which  I  did  and  overtook  it 
80  quick  that  it  hit  me  smack  in  the  face.  We  soon 
arrived  at  Amboy,  and  took  the  water  again ;  and  soon 
came  in  sight  of  the  great  city  of  N£\V  York,  and  a  bulger 

U83) 


184  RECEPTION    IN    NEW   YORE. 

of  a  place  it  is.  The  number  of  the  ships  beat  me  all 
hollow,  and  looked  for  all  the  world  like  a  big  clearing 
in  the  West,  with  the  dead  trees  all  standing. 

When  we  swung  round  to  the  wharf,  it  was  covered 
with  people,  who  inquired  if  I  was  on  board ;  and  when 
the  captain  told  them  I  was,  they  slung  their  hats  and 
gave  three  cheers. 

Immediately  a  committee  came  on  board,  representing 
the  young  whigs,  and  informed  me  they  were  appointed 
to  wait  upon  me,  and  invite  me  to  the  American  Hotel. 
I  accepted  their  ofier,  and  went  with  them  to  the  hotel, 
where  I  was  friendly  received ;  conducted  to  a  large  par 
lor,  where  I  was  introduced  to  a  great  many  gentlemen. 

I  was  invited  to  visit  the  new  and  elegant  fire-engine, 
and  took  some  refreshment  with  the  managers,  and  re 
turned  in  time  to  visit  the  Park  theatre,  and  see  Miss 
Fanny  Kemble  play  in  grand  style.  The  house  was 
better  filled,  and  the  fixings  looked  nicer  than  the  one  in 
Philadelphia ;  but  any  of  them  is  good  enough,  if  they 
have  such  pretty  play-actors  as  Miss  Kemble.  In  fact, 
she  is  like  a  handsome  piece  of  changeable  silk  ;  first  one 
color,  then  another,  but  always  the  clean  thing. 

I  returned  home,  as  I  am  told  all  great  folks  do,  after 
the  lady  actor  was  done  ;  and,  sitting  with  my  friends, 
the  cry  of  "fire,  fire,"  struck  my  ear.  I  bounced  from 
my  chair,  and  ran  for  my  hat.  "  Sit  down,  colonel,'* 
said  one  of  the  gentlemen,  "it's  not  near  us."  A'n't 
you  going  to  help  put  it  out?"  "No,"  said  he,  laugh 
ing,  "  we  have  fire  companies  here,  and  we  leave  it  to 
them."  Well,  to  me  this  seemed  queer  enough,  for  at 


VISITS   THE    NEWSPAPER    OFFICES.  185 

home  I  would  have  jumped  on  the  first  horse  at  hand, 
and  rode  full  flight  bare-backed,  to  help  put  out  a  fire. 

I  forgot  that  I  was  in  a  city  where  you  may  live,  as 
they  tell  me,  years,  and  not  know  who  lives  next  door  to 
you:  still,  I  felt  curious  to  see  how  they  managed; 
and  Colonel  Jackson  went  with  me.  As  it  was  late,  the 
engines  were  only  assembling  when  we  got  there  ;  but 
when  they  began  to  spirt,  they  put  out  a  four  story  house 
that  was  all  in  a  blaze,  in  less  than  no  time.  I  asked 
the  colonel  where  they  got  so  much  water  from.  Ho 
said  it  was  raised  by  the  Manhattan  Bank,  out  of  a 
charter  got  by  Aaron  Burr. 

Next  morning  I  was  invited  by  Colonel  Mapes  to  walk 
down  to  some  of  the  newspaper  offices,  I  proposed  to  go 
to  the  Courier  and  Enquirer  and  Star  offices  :  we  did  so. 
I  like  Webb,  for  he  comes  out  plump  with  what  he  has 
to  say.  Mr.  Noah  has  another  way  of  using  a  fellow  up : 
he  holds  him  uneasy ;  laughs  at  him,  and  makes  other 
folks  do  so ;  teazes  him  ;  roasts  him,  until  he  don't  know 
what  ails  him,  nor  what  hurt  him,  but  he  can't  help 
limping. 

We  went  into  Pearl  street;  and  I  could  not  help  won 
dering  if  they  had  as  many  boxes  and  bags  and  things 
inside  of  the  houses  as  they  had  out.  Elegant  place  for 
a  lame  man  to  walk,  for  every  one  is  like  him-  -first  up, 
then  down ;  then  one  side,  then  another,  like  a  pet  in  a 
squirrel  box^-  Shortly  we  came  to  the  Exchange — the 
place  where  the  merchants  assemble  every  day  at  one 
o'clock,  to  hear  all  they  can,  and  tell  as  little  as  possible : 
and  where  two  lines  from  a  knowing  correspondent,  pru 
dently  used,  may  make  a  fortune. 


186  SPEECH   AT   NEW   YORK   EXCHANGE. 

I  had  not  been  long  here  before  I  was  surrounded,  and 
called  on  for  a  speech.  I  made  many  apologies,  but 
none  seem'd  to  hit  right ;  and  was  so  hard  pressed,  that 
T  had  no  corner  to  get  into:  so,  taking  my  stand  upon 
the  steps  above  them,  I  spoke  awhile. 

I  returned  to  the  hotel,  where  I  found  a  great  many 
gentlemen  waiting  to  see  the  wild  man  from  the  far  West. 
After  spending  some  time  with  them,  I  was  taken  to 
Peale's  museum.  I  shall  not  attempt  to  describe  the 
curiosities  here  ;  it  is  above  my  bend.  I  could  not  help, 
however,  thinking  what  pleasure  or  curiosity  folks  could 
take  in  sticking  up  whole  rows  of  little  bugs,  and  such 
like  varmints.  I  saw  a  boy  there  that  had  been  born 
without  any  hands  or  arms  ;  and  he  took  a  pair  of  scissors 
in  his  toes,  and  cut  his  name  in  full,  and  gave  it  to  me. 
This  I  called  a  miracle. 

From  thence  I  went  to  the  City  Hall,  and  was  intro 
duced  to  the  mayor  of  the  city  and  several  of  the  alder 
men.  The  mayor  is  a  plain,  common-sense-looking  man. 
I  was  told  he  had  been  a  tanner  :  that  pleased  me  ;  for  I 
thought  both  him  and  me  had  clumb  up  a  long  way  from 
where  we  had  started:  and  it  is  truly  said,  "Honor  and 
fame  from  no  condition  rise."  It's  the  grit  of  a  fellow 
that  makes  the  man. 

On  my  return,  I  received  an  invitation  from  Colonel 
Diaper  to  dine  with  him,  informing  me  also,  that  the  rale 
Major  Jack  Downing  was  expected  to  be  there.  When 
the  hour  arrived,  I  started  to  walk  there,  as  it  was  but  a 
fihort  distance.  On  my  way  I  saw  a  white  man  who  was 
in  a  great  rage,  cursing  a  white  man-servant.  I  stopped, 
and  said  to  him,  "  Hollow,  mister  !  if  you  was  to  talk 


DINNER    WITH    COLONEL    DEAFER.  187 

that  way  to  a  white  man  in  my  country,  he'd  give  you 
first  rate  hell."  He  looked  at  me  and  said  nothing,  but 
walked  off.  Sure  enough,  when  I  got  to  Colonel  Dra 
per's  I  was  introduced  to  the  major.  We  sat  down  to  a 
splendid  dinner,  and  amused  ourselves  with  some  good 
jokes.  But  as  this  was  a  private  party,  I  don't  think  it 
gentlemanly  to  tell  what  was  said  at  this  time,  and  espe 
cially  as  this  was  not  the  only  communication  I  had  with 
the  major.  One  observation,  however,  was  made  by  him, 
and  I  gave  him  an  answer  which  could  not  offend  any 
body.  "  Colonel,"  says  he,  "  what  d'ye  sort  o'  think 
about  gineral  matters  and  things  in  purticlur  ?"  Know 
ing  him  to  be  a  Yankee,  I  tried  to  answer  him  in  his  own 
vrav.  So  says  I,  "  Major,  the  Ginneral's  matters  are  all 
wrons: ;  but  some  purticklar  things  are  very  well :  such, 
br  ..ristimce,  as  the  honor  I  have  in  dining  with  you  at 
JoxCnel  Draper's."  "  Good,"  says  the  major,  "  and 
we'll  talk  about  them  there  matters  some  other  time." 
"Agreed,"  says  I,  "  major,  always  at  your  sarvice." 

I  found  a  large  company  waiting  for  me  when  I  got 
back  to  the  hotel,  and  invitation  to  sup  with  the  young 
Whigs.  Well,  now,  thinks  I,  they  had  better  keep  some 
of  these  things  to  eat  for  somebody  else,  for  I'm  sure  I'm 
as  full  as  a  young  cub.  But  right  or  wrong,  I  must  go 
in.  There  I  met  the  honorable  Augustus  S.  Clayton, 
of  Georgia,  and  was  right  glad  to  see  him,  for  I  knew  I 
could  get  him  to  take  some  of  the  speaking  off  of  me. 
He  speaks  prime,  and  is  always  ready,  and  never  goes 
off  half-cock. 

Upwards  of  one  hundred  sat  down  to  supper.  They 
were  going  to  toast  me,  but  I  told  some  of  them  near  me 


188  WHIG    SUPPER. 

to  toast  Judge  Clayton  first ;  that  there  should  be  more 
rejoicing  over  one  that  was  lost  and  found  again,  than 
over  ninety  and  nine  such  as  me,  that  had  never  strayed 
away.  They  did  so  ;  and  he  made  a  speech  that  fairly 
made  the  tumblers  hop.  He  rowed  the  Tories  up  and 
over  Salt  River. 

Then  they  toasted  me  as  u  the  undeviating  supporter 
of  the  constitution  and  laws."  I  made  a  short  speech, 
and  concluded  with  the  story  of  the  u  Red  Cow,"  which 
was,  that  as  long  as  General  Jackson  went  straight,  I 
followed  him ;  but  when  he  began  to  go  this  way,  and 
that  way,  and  every  way,  I  wouldn't  go  after  him ;  like 
the  boy  whose  master  ordered  him  to  plough  across  the 
field  to  the  red  cow.  Well,  he  began  to  plough  and  she 
began  to  walk  ;  and  he  ploughed  all  forenoon  after  her. 
So  when  the  master  came,  he  swore  at  him  for  going  so 
crooked.  "  Why,  sir,"  said  the  boy,  uyou  told  me  to 
plough  to  the  red  cow,  and  I  kept  after  her,  but  she  al 
ways  kept  moving." 

Next  morning  being  the  first  day  of  May,  I  went  to 
some  of  the  newspaper  offices,  read  the  news,  and  re 
turned  to  take  a  ride  with  Colonel  S.  D.  Jackson,  in  an 
elegant  barouche.  We  drove  up  to  the  city,  and  took  a 
view  of  the  improvements  and  beautiful  houses  in  the 
new  part.  By  the  time  we  returned  down  Broadway,  it 
seemed  to  me  that  the  city  was  flying  before  some  awful 
calamity.  "  Why,"  said  I,  u  Colonel,  what  under  hea- 
is  the  matter  ?  Everybody  appears  to  be  pitching  out 
their  furniture,  and  packing  it  off.  '  He  laughed,  and 
said  this  was  the  general  "  moving  day."  Such  a  sight 
nobody  ever  saw  unless  it  was  in  this  same  city.  It 


VISITS   THE    FIVE    POINTS.  189 

Beemed  a  kind  of  frolic,  as  if  they  were  changing  nouses 
just  for  fun.  Every  street  was  crowded  with  carts, 
drays,  and  people.  So  the  world  goes.  It  would  take  a 
good  deal  to  get  me  out  of  my  log-house  ;  but  here,  I 
understand,  many  persons  "move  "  every  year. 

Having  alighted,  and  taken  some  refreshment,  I  asked 
Colonel  Webb  to  go  with  to  the  "Five  Points,"  a  noted 
place  near  the  centre  of  the  city.  This  is  the  place 
where  Van  Buren's  warriors  came  from  during  the  elec 
tion,  when  the  wild  Irish,  with  their  clubs  and  bludgeons, 
knocked  down  every  one  they  could  find  that  would  not 
huzza  for  Jackson.  However,  I  had  a  great  curiosity 
to  see  them ;  and  on  we  went,  the  major  and  me,  and  in 
the  midst  of  that  great  city  we  came  to  a  place  where 
five  streets  all  come  together ;  and  from  this  it  takes  the 
name  of  the  "Five  Points."  The  buildings  are  little, 
old,  frame  houses,  and  looked  like  some  little  country 
village.  The  houses  all  had  cellars ;  and  as  that  day 
was  fashionable  to  move,  they  were  moving  too.  The 
streets  looked  like  a  clearing,  in  my  part  of  the  world, 
as  they  were  emptying  and  burning  the  straw  out  of  their 
beds.  It  appeared  as  if  the  cellars  were  jam  full  of  peo 
ple  ;  and  such  fiddling  and  dancing  nobody  ever  before 
saw  in  this  world.  I  thought  they  were  the  true  "  hea 
ven-  boras."  Black  and  white,  white  and  black,  all  hug- 
emsnug  together,  happy  as  lords  and  ladies,  sitting  some 
times  round  in  a  ring,  with  a  jug  of  liquor  between  them: 
and  I  do  think  I  saw  more  drunken  folks,  men*  and  wo 
men,  that  day  than  I  ever  saw  before.  This  is  part  of 
what  is  called  by  the  Regency  the  "glorious  sixth 
ward  " — the  regular  Van  Buren  ground-floor.  I  thought 


190  THE   FIVE   POINTS. 

I  would  rather  risk  myself  in  an  Indian  fight  than  ven 
ture  among  these  creatures  after  night.  I  said  to  the 
colonel,  "  God  deliver  me  from  such  constituents,  or  from 
a  party  supported  by  such.  In  my  country,  when  you 
meet  an  Irishman,  you  find  a  first  rate  gentleman  ;  but 
these  are  worse  than  savages;  they  are  too  mean  to  swab 
hell's  kitchen."  He  took  me  to  the  place  where  the  elec 
tion  was  held.  It  appeared  to  me  that  all  the  place 
round  was  made  ground,  and  that  there  was  more  room  in 
the  houses  under  ground  than  above :  and  I  suppose  there 
must  have  been  a  flood  of  rain  during  the  election,  which 
forced  those  rats  out  of  their  holes.  There  is  more  people 
stowed  away  together  here  than  any  place  I  ever  saw.  I 
heard  a  story,  and  it  is  asserted  to  be  true,  that  about  here, 
some  years  ago,  a  committee  visited  all  the  houses,  to 
see  how  they  were  coming  on.  One  house,  that  was  four 
stories  high,  and  four  rooms  on  a  floor,  had  sixteen  fa 
milies  in  it,  and  four  in  the  garret,  which  was  divided 
into  four  parts  by  a  streak  of  charcoal.  An  old  lady, 
that  was  spinning  up  there,  was  asked  how  they  made 
out.  She  said,  pretty  well ;  and  that  they  would  be 
quiet  enough  if  it  was  not  for  the,  old  woman  in  the  op 
posite  corne^  and  she  took  boarders,  and  they  often 
made  a  noise.  I  believe  it  is  true.  What  a  miserable 
pl;ice  a  city  is  for  poor  people  :  they  are  half  starved, 
poorly  clothed,  and  perished  for  fire  I  sometimes  won 
der  they  do  not  clear  out  to  a  new  country,  where  every 
skin  hangs  oy  its  own  tail :  but  I  suppose'  they  think  an 
bour's  indulgence  in  vice  is  sweet  enough  for  the  bitter 
of  the  rest. 

Coming  home,  I  took  notice  that  the  rear  of  the  City 


ALBERT   QALLATIN.  101 

Hall  was  of  brown  stone,  while  the  front  and  sides  were 
of  white  marble.  I  asked  the  Colonel  why  that  was  so 
He  said  the  Poor  House  stood  behind  when  they  built 
the  Hall.  That  is  like  many  a  great  man  :  if  he  gets  a 
fine  breast  to  his  jacket,  he  will  make  the  back  of  fus 
tian — and  like  thousands  of  great  people,  who  think  that 
any  tiling  will  do  for  poor  folks  to  look  at,  or  eat,  or 
wear.  Another  thing  seemed  queer  to  me,  and  that  was 
a  bell  hanging  outside  of  the  steeple  of  the  Hall.  It  was 
so  big  that  they  could  not  get  it  in,  and  rather  than  lose 
the  money,  they  hung  it  outside ;  never  reflecting  that 
even  a  backwoodsman  must  laugh  at  such  a  Dutch  blun 
der. 

On  the  same  walk  I  w.as  introduced  to  the  honorable 
Albert  Gallatin.  He  had  an  old  straw  hat  in  his  hand, 
and  like  every  body  else,  was  "mooving,"  and  said  he 
was  sorry  not  to  have  more  time  to  be  acquainted  with 
me.  He  pointed  to  the  house  he  was  leaving,  and  g"id 
it  and  several  others  were  to  be  torn  down  to  build  a  big 
tavern.  It  wras  a  very  fine  house,  fit  for  any  man  to  live 
in;  but  in  a  few  hours  I  saw  men  on  the  top  of  it,  and 
before  the  next  evening  the  daylight  was  through  it. 
This  tavern  is  to  be  near  the  park,  and  is  building  by 
John  Jacob  Astor.  It  is  to  cost  seven  hundred  thousand 
djllars,  and  covers  a  whole  square.  Mr.  Astor,  I  am 
told,  begun  business  in  New  York  as  a  dealer  in  furs, 
and  is  now  worth  millions.  Lord  help  the  beavers  and 
otters  !  they  must  have  most  got  used  to  getting  skinned 
by  this  time.  And  what  a  meeting  of  friends  and  kin 
there  must  have  been  in  his  warehouse.  "Farewell," 
thi'l  the  otter  to  the  beaver,  "  I  never  expect  to  se*?  yov 


192  GENERAL   MOHTON. 

again,  my  dear  old  friend."  "Never  mind,  my  dear  fel« 
low,"  said  the  beaver,  "don't  be  too  much  distressed, 
we'll  soon  meet  at  the  hatter's  shop." 

This  day  a  new  flag  was  to  be  hoisted,  down  on  the 
Battery,  and  I  was  invited  to  attend.  The  artillery, 
under  command  of  General  Morton,  paraded ;  and  he 
invited  many  of  his  friends  to  be  present :  among  the 
rest,  the  mayor,  Gideon  Lee,  was  there,  and  addressed 
the  people.  Among  other  things  he  told  them  that  that 
flag-staff  was  placed  where  the  old  one  stood  when  the 
British  evacuated  New  York ;  that  they  left  the  flag  fly 
ing,  and  greased  the  pole,  so  that  it  could  not  be  clim 
up  ;  but  at  last  a  sailor  got  up  and  tore  it  down,  and 
boisted  the  American  flag  in  its  place ;  and  when  he 
name  down,  the  people  filled  his  hat  with  money. 

General  Morton  is  a  revolutioner,  and  an  officer  in  the 
society  of  old  soldiers,  called  the  "  Cincinnati  Society," 
and  wears  its  badge  on  his  breast.  He  gave  an  entertain 
ment  to  his  friends  on  this  occasion  ;  for  you  must  know 
that  nobody  thinks  any  thing  well  done  in  this  place, 
without  eating  and  drinking  over  it. 

This  battery  a'n't  a  place,  as  its  name  looks  like,  for 
keeping  and  shooting  off  cannon.  It  might  have  beec 
«o,  long  ago  ;  but  it  is  a  beautiful  meadow  of  a  place,  all 
measured  off,  with  nice  walks  of  gravel  between  the  grass 
plats,  full  of  big  shade-trees,  and  filled  with  people  and  a 
great  many  children,  that  come  there  to  get  the  fresh  air 
that  comes  off  the  water  of  the  bay.  This  is  a  beautiful 
place ;  and  you  can  see  Long  Island,  and  Staten  Island, 
and  many  others  from  it.  Here  is  likewise  Castle  Gar 
den,  and  the  bridge  that  Van  Buren  wanted  to  drown 


GOES   TO   THE   THEATRE.  198 

tL«*  president  off  of,  when  him  and  Major  Jack  most  fell 
in.  The  fact  is,  the  plan  was  well  enough,  but  General 
Jackson  did  not  know  of  it.  It  was  concluded,  you  see, 
that  the  president  should  make  all  his  big  s-ecretaries  and 
Colonel  Reeside  go  before,  and  him  come  after;  and  then 
slam  should  go  the  bridge,  with  the  old  fellow  on  it.  But 
he  went  foremost,  and  when  it  fell,  they  didn't  catch  any 
but  Governor  Cass,  secretary  of  war ;  and  he  only  lost 
his  hat  and  wig,  which  they  say  the  porpusses  carried 
off  and  gave  to  the  sea  serpent,  so  that  he  might  be  on 
their  side  in  the  next  oyster  war. 

After  all  this,  I  went  thac  same  day  to  see  my  young 
friend  Walden,  and  enjoyed  myself  with  some  friends  till 
evening. 

When  I  got  back  to  the  hotel,  I  found  the  bill  for  th* 
Bowery  theatre ;  and  it  stated  I  was  to  be  there.  Now 
I  knew  I  had  never  given  the  manager  any  authority  to 
use  my  name,  and  I  determined  not  to  go.  After  some 
time,  I  was  sent  for,  and  refused;  and  then  the  head 
manager  came  himself.  I  told  him  I  did  not  come  for  a 
show ;  I  did  not  come  for  the  citizens  of  New  York  to 
look  at,  I  come  to  look  at  them.  However,  my  friends 
said  it  would  be  a  great  disappointment,  and  might  harm 
the  managers ;  and  so  I  went,  and  was  friendly  received. 
I  remained  a  short  time,  and  returned.  So  ended  the 
first  day  of  May,  1834 ;  and  L  should  like  to  see  any 
b(*ly  who  saw  more  sights  in  once  waking  up.  In  fact, 
when  I  got  to  bed  and  begun  to  think  them  over,  I  found 
it  would  take  me  to  daylight ;  so  I  just  broke  off,  and 
went  to  sleep. 

Next  morning,  Colonel  Mapes  told  me  he  was  requested 
13 


194  RIFLE   SHOOTING. 

to  invite  me  to  come  over  to  Jersej  Ov,  to  see  some 
shooting  with  a  rifle.  In  the  mean  tim*,  I  had  been 
very  kindly  invited  by  Captain  Comstock  to  go  that  lay. 
at  half-past  three  o'clock,  with  him  to  Breton.  I  con 
cluded  to  go,  as  I  might  never  have  another  opportunity, 
and  it  took  only  eighteen  hours  to  go  there. 

I  went  with  the  colonel  to  see  little  Thawburn's*  seed 
store ;  and  a  great  place  it  is,  for  he  has  g^t  all  kinds 
of  things  there ;  and  for  fear  his  bird-seed  should  not 
be  fresh,  he  keeps  a  few  hundred  birds  to  eat  it  up  in 
short  order ;  and  to  prove  that  his  flower-seed  is  prime, 
he  keeps  thousands  of  little  pots  growing,  ar>d  mostly 
gits  five  times  as  much  for  the  proof  as  he  does  for  the 
seed.  He  is  a  little,  old,  weezened-up  man,  talks  broad 
Scotch,  and  is  as  active  as  a  terrier  dog. 

I  now  started  to  Jersey  City,  where  I  found  <i  great 
many  gentlemen  shooting  rifles,  at  the  distance  of  one 
hundred  yards  with  a  rest.  One  gentleman  gave  me  his 
gun,  and  asked  me  to  shoot.  I  raised  up,  off-har»d,  and 
cut  within  about  two  inches  of  the  centre.  I  told  him 
my  distance  was  forty  yards,  off-hand.  He  loaded  his 
gun,  and  we  walked  down  to  within  forty  yards,  when  1 
fired,  and  was  deep  in  the  paper.  I  shot  a  second  time, 
and  did  the  same.  Colonel  Mapes  then  put  up  a  quarter 
of  a  dollar  in  the  middle  of  a  black  spot,  and  asked  me 
to  shoot  at  it.  I  told  him  he  had  better  mark  the  ?ize 
of  it  and  put  his  money  in  his  pocket.  He  said,  "  Fire 
sway."  I  did  so,  and  made  slight-of-hand  work  with 
hid  quarter.  It  was  now  time  to  return,  and  prepare  for 
2iy  trip  to  Boston. 

*  Thorburn,  the  or'ginal  of  Gault's  "  Lowrie  Todd." 


CHAPTER    XX. 

ITie  Colonel  starts  for  Boston — Passes  Hell  Gate,  and  Point  J.ida— 
First  impressions  of  New  England  scenery — Captain  Silsbee — Ar 
rives  at  Tremont  House — Mr.  Boyden — Visit  to  the  gallery  of  the 
artists,  Chester  Harding — Sits  for  his  portrait — Faneuil  Hall — 
General  Davis — Quincy  Market — India  Rubber  Factory — Colonel 
Perkins — Carpet  Factory — Sups  with  the  young  Whigs — Bunker 
Hill — V\Thig  Dinner — Chantrey's  statue  of  Washington — Asylum 
for  the  Blind. 

AT  three  o'clock  I  left  the  hotel,  and  went  over  to 
where  the  steamboat  lay.  When  I  went  on  board,  the 
captain  showed  me  into  a  splendid  state-room,  which  I 
was  to  occupy  for  the  voyage.  So,  when  I  had  made 
toilet  (as  great  folks  say),  that  is,  combed  my  hair,  and 
taken  a  glass  of  brandy  and  water,  I  went  on  deck. 
There  I  saw  almost  as  many  people  as  were  when  I 
landed  ;  and  they  kept  gathering  until  the  whole  ground 
was  covered ;  and  when  we  started,  they  cheered  me  for 
some  time ;  and  all  I  could  do  was  to  stand  and  bow  to 
them.  This  brought  me  into  new  trouble ;  for  the  pas 
songers  found  I  was  on  board,  and  came  round  me,  so 
ti  at  I  missed  seeing  the  city  until  we  got  past  it. 

Soon,  however,  we  came  to  the  place  called  Hell's 
Gate ;  so  called,  I  suppose,  because  the  water  boils,  and 
foams,  -and  bounces,  about  as  if  it  was  in  a  pot.  I  don't 

think,  however,  that  this  is  a  good  name  for  it,  because 

(195) 


l96  HELL   GATE. 

we  are  told  in  the  good  book,  that  hell's  gate  is  a  mighty 
slick  place,  and  easy  to  get  into.  Here  I  first  saw  a 
large  square-sailed  British  merchant  ship,  under  full  sail. 
She  was  coming  in  through  the  channel,  and  I  was  glad 
to  see  that,  for  when  we  were  voting  for  an  appropria 
tion  for  a  fort  to  defend  this  place,  I  heard  it  said  that 
no  foreign  ship  ever  attempted  coming  in  that  way.  But 
these  are  the  kind  of  arguments  used  most  generally  by. 
those  who  oppose  internal  improvements,  harbors,  &c., 
&c. ;  they  fancy  things,  and  speak  them  for  truth. 

We  went  on  very  pleasantly  till  night ;  and  the  captain 
told  me  if  I  would  rise  at  daylight,  we  would  be  out  of 
sight  of  land.  So  I  went  to  bed,  and  rose  as  soon  as  I 
could  see.  I  walked  out  on  deck,  and  sure  enough, 
there  was  no  land  to  be  seen.  We  were  coming  near 
Fort  Juda,  a  place  where,  the  captain  informed  me,  peo 
ple  on  board  was  often  very  sea- sick.  So  I  set  myself 
down  for  a  case,  but  was  disappointed ;  it  was  quite 
calm,  and  a  clear  fine  morning,  and  when  the  sun  rose, 
it  came  up  like  a  ball  of  fire  out  of  the  water,  and  looked, 
for  all  the  world,  as  if  it  had  been  made  for  the  first 
time.  We  went  around  Point  Juda,  and  kept  in  sight 
of  land  on  our  left  hand.  There  was  very  little  timber 
to  be  seen ;  the  whole  country  appeared  to  be  laid  off  in 
fields,  divided  by  stone  fences.  These  were  a  great 
curiosity  to  me,  and  I  could  not  help  thinking  that  their 
cattle  must  be  well  schooled  here ;  for  one  of  my  cows 
would  pitch  over  a  dozen  such  fences,  without  flirting  her 
toil. 

We  went  by  the  great  fort  at  the  Naraganset  bay,  and 
landed  at  Newport  for  a  short  time.  From  thence  w* 


NEW   ENGLAND.  197 

took  our  way  again  tc  Providence.  There  I  met  a  large 
number  of  the  citizens.  They  cheered  me  on  my  arrival, 
and  wanted  me  to  stay  and  partake  of  a  dinner  with 
them.  I  declined,  and  took  my  seat  in  the  fast  stage. 
The  driver  was  ordered  to  go  ahead,  and  sure  enough  he 
did.  It  was  forty  miles  to  Boston,  and  we  run  it  down 
in  four  hours. 

What  mighty  hard  land  it  is  on  this  road,  and  seems 
as  if  the  whole  face  of  *the  earth  had  been  covered  over 
with  stones,  as  thick  as  Kentuck  land  titles ;  but  they 
have  got  them  strung  up  into  fences,  as  many  as  they 
can,  by  picking  of  them  off;  but  they  won't  stay  picked, 
for  every  time  they  plough,  a  new  crop  comes  up. 

It  was  somewhere  away  long  here  that  the  pilgrims 
landed  at  Plymouth,  and  begun  to  people  this  part  of  the 
world ;  and  a  hard  time  they  must  have  had  of  it  in  this 
barren  country ;  and  it  seems  odd  that  they  should  come 
all  the  way  across  the  sea,  and  not  look  out  for  good 
land.  However,  I  suppose  it  was  all  right,  or  God  would 
have  given  them  better  pilots.  If  they  had  had  fine 
land,  they  would  not  have  ventured  so  much  on  the 
ocean,  and  would  have  had  less  necessity  to  work  hard, 
and  bring  up  their  children  to  industry,  and  give  them 
such  cute  teaching  as  makes  them  know  how  to  make 
ducks  and  drakes  of  us  out  yonder,  when  they  come 
among  us. 

You  would  be  as  much  struck  as  I  was  with  the  hand 
some  houses  and  nice  farms ;  but  when  I  came  to  find 
all  out,  I  didn't  wonder  so  much.  This  was  Captain  A, 
and  that  B's,  house ;  and  they  made  money  on  sea,  and 
spent  it  on  land ;  that's  the  truth ;  for  Adam  himself 


198  TREMONT    HOUSE. 

could  not  have  made  it  out  of  the  land.  So  I  found  out 
that  the  most  of  them  owned  a  little  plantation  on  shore, 
and  the  run  of  the  sea  to  work  on  besides. 

One  of  the  passengers,  who  came  from  beyond  Boston, 
while  we  were  talking  over  these  things,  asked  me  if  I 
knew  Captain  Silsbee.  I  told  him  no.  "I  guess  you 
do,"  says  he,  "he's  our  senator  in  Congress;  but  to 
home,  we  old  folks  call  him  captain."  I  told  him,  cer 
tainly  I  did,  but  never  knew  him  by  that  title.  "  Well, 
we  know  that  none  on  'em  boxed  a  compass  longer  nor 
better,  and  he  made  a  power  of  money,  and  during  the 
last  war  planked  up  more  gold  and  silver  to  lend  the 
government  than  Benton  ever  counted." 

But  I  must  quit  philosophy,  and  tell  you  where  I 
stopped  in  Boston — and  that  was  just  where  any  one 
that  has  plenty  of  cash,  and  plenty  of  good-will  for 
pleasure,  would  like — in  a  clean  street,  with  a  tavern  on 
one  side,  and  the  theatre  on  the  other,  and  both  called 
Tremont.  Mr.  Boyden  did  not  know  me,  nor  me  him  ; 
but  when  I  told  him  my  name,  where  they  put  it  on  the 
bar-book,  he  treated  me  like  an  old  friend,  and  continued 
to  do  so  all  the  time  I  was  there.  He  gave  me  a  good 
room  and  nice  bed  ;  and  did  not,  like  many  landlords, 
let  a  stranger  take  care  of  himself,  but  attended  to  me 
the  kindest  in  the  world.  I  had  seen  a  great  many  fine 
taverns ;  but  take  this  out  and  out,  and  Tremont  House 
is  a  smart  chance  ahead.  It  is  lately  built,  and  has 
every  new  arrangement;  and  for  a  house  with  a  couple 
of  hundred  people  about  it,  is  the  quietest  I  ever  vas 
in.  His  head  man  of  the  gap,  in  the  bar,  has  eyes  all 
round  him  ;  and  Will  Scarlet,  as  he  is  called  by  a  friend 


BOSTON   HOSPITALITY.  199 

of  mine,  IIAS  the  sound  of  every  bell  in  the  house  by 
hoavt.  When  I  arrived,  I  knew  no  one,  but  in  a  short 
time  I  made  many  acquaintances,  and,  indeed,  was  very 
kindly  treated  by  every  person  I  met.  There  is  a  great 
deal  of  friendly  feeling  with  the  eastern  people ;  and 
folks  ne'jd  not  go  out  of  Boston  to  find  rale  hospitality, 

Next  morning  I  was  invited  by  Mr.  Harding  to  visit 
his  gallery  of  paintings,  where  he  had  a  great  many 
specimens  of  the  fine  arts ;  and  finally  he  asked  me  to 
sit  for  him  until  he  could  get  my  likeness,  which  I  did, 
during  my  stay,  and  he  has  it  now,  hung  up  among  the 
rest  of  the  fine  arts.  From  there  I  went  to  Faneuil 
Hall,  where  General  Davis  showed  me  all  the  accoutre 
ments  of  war  for  several  companies  of  infantry  and 
riflemen,  that  was  deposited  in  it.  These  are  in  snug 
rooms  on  each  side  of  the  second  story ;  and  in  the 
middle  is  the  parade-room,  where,  summer  and  winter, 
the  companies  meet  to  drill.  This  is  doing  things  in 
true  style,  that  is  all  for  use,  and  no  show  about  it.  So, 
instead  of  hearing  a  great  fuss  with  volunteers,  and 
•  drilling,  and  all  that,  wheeling  and  marching,  handle 
cartridge,  eyes  right — you  see  a  squad  of  fine  soldiers 
coming  out  of  this  same  place,  and  squared  up  as  if  they 
were  the  rale  breed. 

General  Davis  informed  me  this  was  the  house  that 
was  called  the  "cradle  of  liberty."  I  reckon  old  king 
George  thought  they  were  thundering  fine  children  that 
was  rocked  in  it,  and  a  good  many  of  them ;  and  that 
no  wonder  his  red-coats  were  licked,  when  the  children 
same  out  with  soldier  clothes  on,  and  muskets  in  their 


200  QtJINCY   MARKET. 

hands.  God  grant  that  the  liberty-tree  bough  on  which 
this  cradle  rocks  may  never  break. 

From  here  I  went  to  the  market,  which  is  a  small  cir 
cumstance  ahead  of  anything  I  ever  saw,  and  just  where 
it  should  be.  Now,  in  Philadelphia,  it  looks  like  a  long 
feeding-trough,  stuck  up  in  the  middle  of  the  city. 
And  how  d'ye  think  it  was  done  ?  Why,  they  put  a 
man  of  head  in,  as  mayor,  who  laid  all  his  plans,  counted 
the  cost,  cyphered  out  the  profits,  and  so  forth,  and  then 
made  one  pitch  right  "ahead:"  and  before  the  ninnies 
and  scarey  folks  had  half  done  telling  their  long  stories 
about  the  dreadful  expense,  Mayor  Quincy's  hammers 
were  keeping  time  on  the  big  granite  stones,  and  the 
beautiful  pillars  were  rising  up  as  if  he  had  just  ordered 
them.  In  this  market-house  everything  looks  like  so 
many  different  shops  or  stores,  and  you  are  quite  in- 
•loors,  instead  of  sellers  and  buyers  both  being  exposed 
to  wet,  heat,  and  cold.  The  market  appeared  to  be 
abundantly  supplied,  but,  as  I  thought,  rather  dear. 

After  returning  home,  I  was  invited  over  to  Roxbo- 
rough,  where  they  make  the  Indian-rubber  clothing, 
shoes,  &c.  This  is  done  by  dissolving  the  rubber,  and 
putting  it  on  silk  and  other  cloth,  which  entirely  turns 
the  rain,  and  still  is  pliable,  and  not  heavy.  The  pro 
prietor  made  me  a  present  of  a  hunting  coat,  which  I 
have  tried,  and  would  risk  my  powder  under  it  for  forty 
days  and  nights.  It  was  a  great  curiosity  to  see  the 
young  ladies  cutting  out  the  clothes,  and  sticking  them 
together  without  sewing  them.  I  went  also  through  the 
shoe  factory,  where  they  make  shoes  in  the  same  way 
without  stitching  them.  I  could  not  help  thinking  of 


COLONEL  PERKINS.  201 

the  Philadelphia  girls — thought  they  ought  to  have  them, 
to  keep  their  feet  dry. 

We  often  wonder  how  things  are  made  so  cheap  among 
the  Yankees.  Come  here,  and  you  will  see  women  doing 
men's  work,  and  happy  and  cheerful  as  the  day  is  long : 
and  why  not  ?  Is  it  not  much  better  for  themselves  and 
families,  instead  of  sitting  up  all  day  busy  about  nothing  ? 
It  ain't  hard  work,  neither,  and  looked  as  queer  to  me 
as  it  would  to  one  of  my  countrywomen  to  see  a  man 
milking  the  cows,  as  they  do  here. 

After  I  had  seen  all  that  was  to  be  seen  here,  I  was 
taken  to  Colonel  Perkins'  carpet  factory.  There  I  saw 
the  widest  web  I  ever  saw,  and  they  were  glossing  and 
stamping  it  in  handsome  style.  I  was  quite  friendly 
received  by  the  colonel.  He  is  said  to  be  a  very  rich 
man ;  is  quite  old,  but  firm  and  healthy  in  appearance ; 
and  uses  his  riches  in  the  best  possible  way — by  keeping 
a  great  many  people  busy.  And  he  is  not  one  of  those 
foolish  people,  neither,  that  strive  all  their  days  to  see 
how  rich  they  can  die  :  for  he  gives  with  his  hands  open. 
I  saw  one  house  in  Boston  which  he  gave  to  keep  the 
blind  in,  and  was  told  it  was  worth  fifty  thousand  dollars. 
What  a  comfort  the  old  gentleman  must  have  when  he 
looks  at  his  great  possessions,  and  is  calculating,  not 
ho\\  much  he  can  hoard  up,  but  how  much  he  can  give 
away.  God  never  made  such  men  to  be  envied,  or  I 
could  begrudge  him  a  few  of  his  blessings  from  the  poor 
and  destitute. 

At  the  irvitation  of  the  owners  of  the  Indian-rubber 
factory,  I  met  a  number  of  the  citizens  of  Roxborough, 
and  passed  a  short  time  with  them  very  pleasantly. 


202  CROCKETT   ON   BUNKER'S   HILL. 

When  I  returned  to  the  Tremont,  I  received  an  invi 
tation  from  the  young  Whigs,  to  sup  with  them  at  eight 
o'clock.  I  accepted  their  invitation,  and  then  went  over 
to  the  Navy  Yard,  at  Charlestown.  I  saw  many  fine 
ships,  and  among  them  was  the  splendid  old  Constitu 
tion.  She  was  lying  in  dry  dock,  and  had  been  new 
timbered  in  grand  style.  The  likeness  of  Andrew 
Jackson  was  placed  on  her  for  a  figure-head.  I  was 
asked  if  it  was  a  good  likeness.  I  said  I  had  never 
seen  him  misrepresented ;  but  that  they  had  fixed  him 
just  where  he  had  fixed  himself,  that  was,  before  the 
Constitution. 

We  then  weut  up  to  the  old  battle-ground  on  Bunker's 
hill,  where  they  were  erecting  a  monument  to  those  who 
full  in  that  day-break  battle  of  our  rising  glory.  I  felt 
as  if  I  wanted  to  call  them  up,  and  ask  them  to  tell  me 
how  to  help  to  protect  the  liberty  they  bought  for  us  with 
their  blood ;  but  as  I  could  not  do  so,  I  resolved  on  that 
holy  ground,  as  I  had  done  elsewhere,  to  go  for  my  coun 
try,  always  and  everywhere. 

When  I  came  back  from  Bunker's  hill,  I  received 
about  a  half  a  dozen  invitations  from  distinguished  citi 
zens  of  Boston,  to  dine  or  sup  with  them,  so  that  it  was 
impossible  to  attend  to  all  of  them  unless  I  had  the  di 
gestion  of  a  cassowary.  I  must  here  state  that  the  citi 
zens  generally  o.f  Boston  are  uncommon  kind  and  civil  ; 
and  if  they  understand  the  art  of  ranking  money  they 
know  how  to  spend  it.  I  was  entertained  like  a  prince, 
and  could  have  lived  there,  I  suspect,  on  the  same  teimg 
for  umcli  longer;  They  appear  to  me  to  live  genemlly 
ir  S^ew  England  more  snugly,  and  have  more  kind  feel- 


WHIG   DINNER.  205 

mgs  tr  one  another,  and  live  in  more  peace  and  harmony 
than  ?my  people  I  ever  was  among.  And  another  good 
thing — they  don't  forget  one  another  when  they  are 
among  strangers  ;  old  New  England  binds  them  hard  to 
gether  ;  and  this  gives  them,  as  it  ought  to  do,  strength 
and  confidence,  and  influence  ;  and  with  us  in  the  South 
Yankee  cunning  is  assuming  the  true  name — Yankee 
knowledge  of  business,  and  perseverance  in  whatever 
they  undertake. 

During  the  afternoon  many  gentlemen  came  to  see  me, 
and  we  spent  our  time  pleasantly  until  the  time  came  for 
me  to  attend  upon  the  young  Whigs.  A  coach  and  four 
fine  horses  was  sent  for  me.  This  I  considered  as  too 
much  honor  ;  but  as  I  take  all  things  as  they  come,  and 
everything  for  the  best,  I  stepped  into  it,  and  off  they 
whirled  with  the  backwoods  hunter.  Which  way  they 
drove  I  did  not  know,  nor  did  I  care.  I  knew  they 
would  not  eat  supper  till  I  got  there  ;  and  that  -they 
would  not  serve  -me  as  Lafayette  was  served  at  a  certain 
place  where  he  was  expected  to  land  and  dine.  The 
steamboat  went  wrong  and  he  did  not  arrive;  so  they  eat 
their  dinners  and  took  out  the  frolic.  About  sundown, 
the  boat  came  up,  the  orator  of  the  day  was  called  for  ; 
he  was  as  blind  as  a  pup  ;  but  the  moment  the  old  gen 
eral  touched  the  ground,  he  put  at  him  with  abundance 
of  welcomes  and  compliments  about  his  heroism,  until  he 
got  up  in  the  pathetics,  when  he  said,  "  Glorious  Lafa 
yette,  the  blood  you  have  shed,  and  the  treasures  you 
expended  in  defence  of  the  liberties  of  this  country,  call 
Tor  our  gratitude.  I  Want  words  to  convey  my  ideas;  in 


204  VIEWS  THE   CITY. 

fact,  (striking  his  hand  on  his  belly  instead  of  his  heart) 
I'm  to)  full  to  proceed."  The  old  gentleman  seized  his 
hand,  gave  it  a  hearty  shake,  and  so  the  oration  ended. 
We  came  to  the  appointed  place,  where  T  was  taken  in 
and  introduced  to  about  one  hundred  young  gentlemen, 
true  chips  of  the  old  block,  ready  to  be  rocked  in  the  old 
cradle,  whether  for  fight  or  frolic,  war  or  electioneering. 
They  gave  me  a  hearty  welcome,  and  made  me  feel  all  as 
one  of  themselves.  So  down  we  sat  to  an  elegant  sup 
per,  with  the  best  of  wines,  and  the  champagne  foaming 
up  as  if  you  were  supping  fog  out  of  speaking-trum 
pets. 

After  the  cloth  was  removed  and  several  toasts  drank, 
they  toasted  me  very  warmly.  I  rose  and  addressed 
them. 

Early  next  morning  I  got  up,  and  my  health  being 
much  improved,  I  felt  just  like  I  was  in  peace  with  my 
self  «and  all  the  world.  After  breakfast,  I  took  a  long 
walk  through  the  city,  and  passed  through  the  Mall. 
This  is  a  beautiful  green  of  something  like  forty  acres,  I 
should  judge,  and  looks  refreshing  in  the  midst  of  a  city. 
From  the  top  of  the  State-house  I  had  a  fine  view  of  the 
city,  and  was  quite  amused  to  see  the  representation  of 
a  large  codfish  hung  up  in  the  House  of  Assembly,  or 
General  Court,  as  they  call  it — to  remind  them  either 
that  they  depended  a  good  deal  on  it  for  food,  or  made 
money  by  the  fisheries.  This  is  quite  natural  to  me,  for 
at  home  I  have  on  one  end  of  my  house  the  antlers  of  a 
noble  buck,  and  the  heavy  paws  of  a  bear. 

I  did  tot  like  the  statue  of  General  Washington  in  the 


CHANTREY'S  STATUE.  205 

State-house.  They  have  a  Roman  gown*  on  him,  anil  he 
was  an  American  ;  this  ain't  right.  They  did  the  thing 
better  at  Richmond,  in  Virginia,  where  they  have  him 
in  the  old  blue  and  buff.  He  belonged  to  this  country — 
heart,  soul,  and  body,  and  I  don't  want  any  other  to 
have  any  part  of  him — not  even  his  clothes. 

I  return  the  officers  in  the  State-house  my  thanks  for 
their  civility.  I  can't  remember  all  their  names,  and 
therefore  I  won't  name  any  of  them. 

When  I  returned  to  Tremont  house,  a  gentleman  in 
vited  me  to  walk  with  him  to  the  old  State-house. 
When  I  reached  that  I  saw  a  great  crowd.  General  Da 
vis  conducted  me  into  the  house,  and  we  went  up  stairs, 
where  there  was  a  platform.  I  drew  off  my  hat,  and 
bowed  to  the  people  ;  they  immediately  cheered  me,  and 
called  for  a  speech  which  I  had  to  make. 

Here  now  comes  a  poser.  I  was  invited  to  dine  out ; 
but  if  I  can  mind  the  gentleman's  name  I  wish  I  may  be 
shot.  He  lived  near  Tremont ;  and  I  hope,  if  he  has 
curiosity  enough  to  read  this  here  book,  that  he  will  write 
me  a  letter,  so  that  in  my  second  edition,  I  may  give  his 
name  as  large  as  life,  and  I  beg  him  to  recollect  that  it 
ain't  every  one  that  signs  a  letter  that  makes  himself 
known.  Let  him  write  it  plain — none  of  your  hierogly 
phics — or  I  won't  put  him  in. 

Some  would  say  that  they  were  mortified  that  they  for 
got  this  gentleman's  name.  I  ain't ;  I'm  sorry — but  the 

*  This  is  a  mistake  of  the  Colonel.  Chantrey's  statue  of  Washing 
ton  represents  him  iu  the  costume  of  the  Revolution  with  a  military 
elcak. 


206  ASYLUM  FOR  THE  BLIND. 

truth   is,    I   saw   so    many   folks,    and    so    mai.y 
things,  that   it's  no   wander  I  should   not  mind   every- 
thin*.     He  was  a  clever  fellow,  and  I  know  he  will  for- 

O  ' 

give  me. 

When  I  went  home,  there  I  met  a  young  man  that  was 
stone  blind.  "  Well,"  says  you,  "  that's  no  new  thing." 
Stop,  if  you  please  :  that  puts  me  in  mind  of  an  old  par 
son  and  a  scolding'  woman  that  belonged  to  his  church. 
She  told  him,  in  one  of  her  tantrums,  that  she  could 
preach  as  well  as  he  could,  and  he  might  select  the  text. 
"  Well,"  said  the  old  man,  "  I'll  give  yoi*  one,  and  you 
can  study  over  it  —  4  It  is  better  to  dwell  on  the 
house-top  than  in  a  wide  house  with  a  brawling  wo 
man.' '  "You  good-for-nothing,  impudent,  old — what 
shall  I  say  ?  do  you  go  for  to  call  me  a  brawling 
woman  ?"  "  Dear  mistress,"  said  the  good  old  man, 
"  you'll  have  to  study  a  while  longer,  for  you  come  to 
the  application  of  the  text  before  you  discuss  the  doc 
trine." 

Now  it  was  not  that  I  met  a  blind  boy  in  Tremont 
h  'mse  that  was  any  curiosity,  but  it  was  his  ^rrand.  He 
inquired  of  the  barkeeper  for  me,  as  I  was  standing  by 
him,  and  said  he  was  sent  by  the  teacher  of  the  blind,  to 
invite  me  to  visit  the  institution,  and  that  he  would  show 
me  the  way. 

I  was  told  by  the  gentlemen  present  that  he  ctmld  go 
all  over  Boston.  A  gentleman  accompanied  me,  and  we 
went  on  till  we  came  to  a  fine  house  where  the  institution 
was  kept.  We  went,  and  were  introduced  to  the  teach 
er,  lie  asked  me  if  I  wished  to  hear  some  of  them  read 


ASYLUM   FOR   THE   BLIND.  207 

I  said  I  did,  and  he  ordered  a  little  girl,  perhaps  ten  or 
twelve  years  old,  to  get  her  book,  asked  her  to  find  a 
certain  chapter  in  the  Old  Testament,  and  read  it.  She 
tock  t:p  the  book  and  felt  with  her  fingers  until  she  found 
it.  lie  then  told  her  to  read,  and  she  did  so,  with  a 
clear,  distinct  voice.  This  was  truly  astonishing  ;  but  on 
examining  their  books  I  found  that  the  letters  were 
stamped  on  the  under  side  of  the  paper,  so  as  to  raise 
them  above  the  surface  of  the  upper  side ;  and  such  was 
the  keenness  of  their  touch  that,  by  passing  the  end  of 
the  finger  over  the  word,  it  served  them  for  sight,  and 
they  pronounced  the  word.  There  was  a  little  boy 
learning  to  cipher  in  the  same  way.  The  teacher  put 
several  questions  to  him  aloud  ;  and  putting  his  fingers 
together  and  working  with  them  for  a  short  time,  he  an 
swered  all  the  questions  correctly. 

That  kind  of  education  astonished  me  more  than  any 
thing  I  ever  saw.  There  were  a  great  many  of  them. 
Some  were  learning  to  play  on  the  piano-forte  ;  and 
many  of  them  were  busy  making  pretty  little  baskets, 
such  as  are  carried  by  the  ladies. 

They  asked  me  if  I  would  like  to  hear  them  sing  ;  and 
telling  them  it  would  please  me  very  much,  a  number  of 
them  came  up,  and  some  had  musical  instruments :  one 
had  a  large  thing  which  I  never  saw  before,  nor  did  I  ask 
the  name ;  one  had  a  clarionet,  and  one  had  a  flute. 
They  played  and  sung  together  beautifully,  and,  indeed, 
I  never  saw  happier  people  in  my  life.  I  remained  some 
time  with  them  going  over  the  establishment.  This  id 
the  house  that  I  mentioned  before  was  given  by  <  Wu»ueJ 


208  ASYLUM   FOR  THE   BLIND. 

Perkins  to  the  blind.  There  is  not  such  a  grand  hous« 
owned  by  any  person  in  Washington.  What  a  satisfac 
tion  it  must  be  to  this  old  gentleman  and  others  who 
have  helped  these  unfortunates,  to  see  them  surrounded 
with  so  many  comforts  !* 

*  Colonel  Thomas  Handaside  Perkins,  the  gentleman  referred  to  in 
Colouel  Crockett's  narrative,  was  one  of  the  <l  merchant  princes  "  of 
Boston.  His  liberal  donations  to  public  institutions  were  very  nume 
rous.  Many  years  since,  he  presented  an  estate  worth  fifty  thousand 
dollars  to  the  Boston  Atheneum.  The  property  which  he  gave  to  the 
Asylum  for  the  Blind,  was  valued  at  fifty  thousand  dollars  ;  and  it  was 
given  on  condition  that  the  citizens  of  Boston  should  raise  by  subscrip 
tion  fifty  thousand  dollars  in  Thirty  days,  to  be  given  to  the  Asyl'ua 
which  condition  was  promptly  complied  with. 


CHAPTER  XXI. 

Oolonel  Crockett  is  invited  to  visit  Harvard  University — Ts  afraid 
they  will  make  him  a  Doctor  of  Laws,  and  declines  going  then? — 
Visits  the  Tremont  Theatre — Visit  to  Lowell — The  Colonel  is  }e- 
lighted  with  the  Factories  and  the  Factory  Girls — His  remarks  on 
Free  Labor — The  Sea-serpent — The  Tariff— The  South — Mr.  Law- 
rence  presents  the  Colonel  with  a  suit  of  broadcloth  of  Lowell  man 
ufacture,  from  Mississippi  wool — The  Colonel  dines  with  the  young 
gentlemen  of  Lowell — New  England  Hospitality — The  Colonel  re 
turns  to  Boston — Spends  an  evening  with  Lieutenant  Governoi 
Armstrong — Returns  to  Providence,  New  York,  and  Philadelphia 
— Visit  to  Canulen,  New  Jersey — Loses  his  Pocket-book  and  mo 
ney — Returns  to  Baltimore  and  Washington. 

WHEN  I  returned,  there  were  some  gentlemen  that  in 
vited  me  to  go  to  Cambridge,  where  the  big  college  or 
university  is,  where  they  keep  ready-made  titles  or  nick 
names  to  give  people.  I  would  not  go,  for  I  did  not 
&now  but  they  might  stick  an  LL.  D.  on  me  before  they 
let  me  go ;  and  I  had  no  idea  of  changing  "  Member  of 
the  House  of  Representatives  of  the  United  States,"  for 
what  stands  for  "lazy  lounging  dunce,"  which  I  am  sure 
my  constituents  would  have  translated  my  new  title  to 
be,  knowing  that  I  had  never  taken  any  degree,  and  did 
not  own  to  any  except  a  small  degree  of  good  sense  not 
to  pass  for  what  I  was  not — I  would  not  go  it.  There 
had  been  one  doctor  made  from  Tennessee  already,  and 

1  had  no  wish  to  put  on  the   cap  and  bells.     I  recollect 
14  (209) 


210  THEATRE. 

the  story  of  a  would-be-great  man  who  put  on  his  sign 
after  his  name,  in  large  capitals,  D.  Q.  M.  G.,  \vhich 
stood  for  Deputy  Quarter  Master  General  ;  but,  which 
one  of  his  neighbors,  to  the  great  diversion  of  all  the 
rest,  and  to  his  mortification,  translated  into  "  damn  d 
quick  made  gentleman."  No,  indeed,  not  me — anythir.g 
you  please  but  Granny  Crockett ;  I  leave  that  for  others, 
I'll  throw  that  in  to  make  chuck  full  the  measure  of  their 
country's  glory. 

I  told  them  I  did  not  go  to  this  branding  school ;  1 
did  not  want  to  be  tarred  with  the  same  stick ;  one  dig 
nitary  was  enough  from  Tennessee  ;  that  as  far  as  my 
learning  went,  I  would  stand  over  it,  and  spell  a  strive 
or  two  with  any  of  them,  from  a-b-ab  to  crucifix,  which 
was  where  I  left  off  at  school. 

This  day  I  dined  out  again  ;  but  I'm  most  tired  talk 
ing  of  dinners,  especially  after  I  have  eaten  them.  1 
went  to  the  theatre  that  night.  The  acting  was  pretty 
considerable,  considering  that  one  actress,  who,  it  was 
very  plain,  was  either  a  married  woman  or  "  had  ought 
to  be,"  as  they  say  there,  was  playing  in  the  character 
of  a  young  lady  ;  and  one  fellow  tried  to  sing  that  was 
not  half  up  to  a  Mississippi  boat  horn. 

We  got  a  little  dry  or  so,  and  wanted  a  horn,  but  this 
was  a  temperance  house,  and  there  was  nothing  to  treat 
a  friend  to  that  was  worth  shaking  a  stick  at,  so  says  I, 
u  When  there  was  a  famine  in  the  land  of  Canaan,  there 
was  plenty  of  corn  in  Egypt ;  let  us  go  over  to  the  Tre,~ 
mont,  Boyden  keeps  stuff  that  runs  friends  together,  an  1 
makes  them  forget  which  is  which."  Over  we  went,  aui 
soon  forgot  all  about  the  theatre. 


THE    SEA    SERPENT.  2ll 

I  had  promised  next  morning  to  go  to  Lowell  with  Mr. 
Lawrence,  Mr.  Harding,  and  others ;  but  when  I  woke 
up  it  was  pouring  down  rain,  so  that  kept  me  in  the  house 
all  day. 

I  was  not  idle,  for  I  had  a  heap  of  talk  with  the  folks 
in  the  house.  One  gentleman  asked  me  to  come  and  see 
him  ;  but  he  gave  me  so  many  directions  about  getting 
tc  where  he  lived  that  I  asked  him  to  write  it  down,  and 
told  him  if  ever  he  came  to  my  part  of  the  country,  I 
hoped  he  would  call  and  see  me.  "  Well,"  said  he,  "how 
will  I  find  where  you  live  ?"  "  Why,  sir,  run  down  the 
Mississippi  till  you  come  to  the  Obion  river,  run  a  small 
streak  up  that,  jump  ashore  anywhere  and  inquire  for 
me." 

Says  I  to  one  of  them,  "  Do  you  believe  in  the  sea- 
sarpint  ?"  u  If  1  don't,  there's  no  snakes.  I  believe  it 
to  be  as  much  true  as  there  is  lie  in  our  deacon  when  he  ^ays 
his  red  face  ain't  made  by  drinking  'New  England.'  ' 
"Do  you  consider  him  dangerous,  or  is  he  peaceable?" 
"  Well,  now,  to  keep  the  truth,  I  never  saw  him  ;  but 
Capting  Hodijah  Folger  said  as  how  he  considered  the 
critter  as  a  sort  o'  so.  and  a  sort  o'  not."  "  Had  he  a 
long  tail  ?"  "  Tail,  did  you  say  ?  You'd  a  died  to  hear 
Didge  tell  about  that  verming.  Didge  said  he  was  like 
skying  a  copper — head  or  tail — but  you  had  to  guess 
which.  Ses  Didge  to  me,  '  Don't  you  mind,'  ses  he, 
4  that  are  angel  what  stood  with  one  leg  on  the  sea,  and 
t'other  on  the  dry  land  ?'  '  I  guess  I  do.'  '  Well,'  ses 
he  to  me,  'that  are  sarpint's  skin  was  long  enough  to  a 
queued  his  hair.'  ' 

I  was  asked  to  sup  with  a  Mr.  Richards,  whom  I  had 


212  THE   SOUTH. 

Been  at  Washington.  He  had  a  house  full  of  ladies  an  J 
gentlemen,  collected  to  see  me  :  so  I  was  on  my  manners, 
and  I  hope  they  were  all  as  much  gratified  as  I  was. 
We  had  a  fine  supper,  plenty  of  conversation,  and  some 
fun.  I  don't  think  the  northern  ladies  talk  as  much 
publicly  as  they  do  in  the  south  and  west.  In  private 
conversation  they  are  ready  enough. 

When  1  got  back,  I  saw  my  old  cock  again.  "  Well," 
says  I,  "what  do  you  think  of  nullification  up  here?" 
"  Why,  they  say,  some  of  them,  that  it  was  got  and 
bred  by  the  tariff.  Squire  Williams,  my  neighbor,  said 
he  didn't  think  so :  it  was  a  kind  of  come-by-chance, 
that  was  too  wicked  to  know  its  own  kin  ;  and  he  thought 
it  was  a  very  ugly  thing."  "Well,"  says  I  to  him, 
"  squire,  setting  a  case  as  how  the  Congress  of  Jackson- 
men  should  pass  a  law  taxing  of  all  the  looms  and  spin 
dles,  and  letting  cottons  and  woolens  come  in  from 
foreign  parts,  free  of  duty  —  what  should  we  do?" 
"Why,  ask  'em  to  repeal  it."  "Suppose  they  would 
not  do  it ;  and  when  we  were  growing  poorer  and  poorer, 
the  tax-gatherer  should  come  to  sell  you  out,  stock  and 
fluke."  "  Why,  I'd  dispute  his  authority  desperately  ; 
and  if  that  would'  not  do,  I'd  fight  him,  by  the  blue 
blazes."  "  And  so  would  I :  but  ain't  that  nullifying, 
or  something  mighty  like  it?"  "Why,"  ses  he,  "the 
toe  that's  tramped  on  feels  most ;  and  a  man  that  don't 
swear,  had  better  try  a  stumpy  field  with  a  young  yoke 
of  cattle."  "Well,"  ses  I,  "them  there  people  down 
there  fought  desperate  in  the  old  war.  They  whipped 
Captain  Cornwallis,  and  scared  Sir  Harry  Clinton  out 
and  out ;  and  I  reckon  then  no  more  nor  now  they  don't 


LOWELL    FACTORIES.  218 

If!  9  nobody  to  wrong  them  out  of  their  rights.  But  I'm 
glat  it's  all  over:  and  I  tell  you  what  I  think;  you 
don't  work  hard  enough  in  the  south,  and  take  good 
care  of  your  grounds,  and  cattle,  and  so  on  ;  at  least,  I 
hea^n  Josiah  Norton  say  so,  when  he  come  home  from 
do^/i  to  south,  where  he  had  been  pedling  a  spell.  Si 
ses  £0  me,  ses  he,  '  Please  goodness !  but  that's  a  pooi 
country  down  yander ;  it  makes  the  tears  come  into  tho 
kiljear's  eyes  when  they  fly  over  the  old  fields.  Dod 
dn/t  me,  if  you  can  ever  get  a  drink  of  cider ! !  They 
ain't  got  no  apples  but  little  runts  of  things,  about  as 
bi^  us  your  thumb,  and  so  sour,  that  when  a  pig  sticks 
h/s  tooth  into  'em,  he  lays  back  his  jaw,  and  hollers,  you 
mij.  ht  hear  him  a  mile  :  but  it's  '  eat,  pig,  or  die' — for 
it's  all  he's  got.  And  then  again  they're  great  for 
huitin  of  foxes;  and  if  you  were  to  see  their  hounds ! 
lean,  lank,  labber-sided  pups,  that  are  so  poor  they  have 
to  prop  up  agin  a  post-and-rail  fence,  'fore  they  can 
raise  a  bark  at  my  tin-cart.  It's  the  poorest  place  was 
ever  made.'  '  "  So,"  said  I,  "  r  Granger,  you  had  better 
come  down  and  judge  for  yourself,  both  as  to  principles 
and  habits :  you  would  be  as  much  pleased,  I  am  sure, 
as  I  have  been  in  coming  north." 

Next  morning  I  rose  early,  and  started  for  Lowell  in 
a  fine  carriage,  with  three  gentlemen  who  had  agreed  to 
accompany  me.  I  had  heard  so  much  of  this  place  that 
I  longed  to  see  it ;  not  because  I  had  heard  of  the 
"  mile  of  gals ;"  no,  I  left  that  for  the  gallantry  of  the 
president,  who  is  admitted,  on  that  score,  to  be  abler 
than  myself:  but  I  wanted  to  see  the  power  of  the  ma- 
ch'nery,  wielded  by  ^he  keenest  calculations  of  humati 


214  FREE    LABOR. 

Aill ;  I  wanted  to  see  how  it  was  that  these  northerners 
could  buy  our  cotton,  and  carry  it  home,  manufacture 
it,  bring  it  back,  and  soil  it  for  half  nothing ;  and,  in 
the  mean  time,  be  well  to  live,  and  make  money  besides. 

We  stopped  at  the  large  stone  house  at  the  head  of 
the  falls  of  the  Merrimac  river,  and  having  taken  a 
little  refreshment,  went  down  among  the  factories.  The 
dinner  bells  were  ringing,  and  the  folks  pouring  out  of 
the  houses  like  bees  out  of  a  gum.  I  looked  at  them  as 
they  passed,  all  well  dressed,  lively,  and  genteel  in  their 
appearance ;  indeed,  the  girls  looked  as  if  they  were 
coming  from  a  quilting  frolic.  We  took  a  turn  round, 
and  after  dining  on  a  fine  salmon,  again  returned,  and 
entered  the  factories. 

The  out-door  appearance  was  fully  sustained  by  the 
whole  of  the  persons  employed  in  the  different  room? 
1  went  in  among  the  young  girls,  and  talked  with  m;my 
of  them.  Not  one  expressed  herself  as  tired  of  her 
employment,  or  oppressed  with  work  :  all  talked  well, 
and  looked  healthy.  Some  of  them  were  very  hand 
some  ;  and  I  could  not  help  observing  that  they  kept 
the  prettiest  inside,  and  put  the  homely  ones  on  the  out 
side  rows. 

I  could  not  help  reflecting  on  the  difference  of  condi 
tion  between  these  females,  thus  employed,  and  those  of 
other  populous  countries,  yfliere  the  female  character  is 
degraded  to  abject  slavery.  Here  were  thousands,  use 
ful  to  others,  and  enjoying  all  the  blessings  of  freedom, 
with  the  prospect  before  them  of  future  comfort  and 
respectability  :  and  however  we,  who  only  hear  of  them, 
may  call  their  houses  workshops  and  prisons,  I  assure 


LOWELL.  215 

my  neighbors  there  is  every  enjoyment  of  life  realized 
by  these  persons,  and  there  can  be  but  few  who  are  not 
happy.  It  cannot  be  otherwise:  respectability  depends 
upDn  being  neighbor-like:  here  everybody  works,  and 
therefore  no  one  is  degraded  by  it ;  on  the  contrary, 
these  who  don't  work  are  not  estimated. 

There  are  more  than  five  thousand  females  employed 
in  Lowell ;  and  when  you  come  to  see  the  amount  of 
labor  performed  by  them,  in  superintending  the  different 
machinery,  you  will  be  astonished. 

Twelve  years  ago,  the  place  where  Lowell  now  rises 
in  all  its  pride  was  a  sheep-pasture.  It  took  its  name 
from  Francis  C.  Lowell,  the  projector  of  its  manufac 
tories,  and  was  incorporated  in  1826 — then  a  mere 
village.  The  fall,  obtained  by  a.  canal  from  the  Merri- 
mac  river,  is  thirty-two  feet,  affording  two  levels  for 
mills,  of  thirteen  and  seventeen  foet ;  and  the  whole 
water  of  the  river  can  be  used. 

There  are  about  fourteen  thousand  inhabitants.  It 
contains  nine  meeting-houses ;  appropriates  seven  thou 
sand  five  hundred  dollars  for  free  schools ;  provides  in 
struction  for  twelve  hundred  scholars,  daily  ;  and  about 
three  thfJusand  annually  partake  of  its  benefits.  It 
communicates  with  Boston  by  the  Middlesex  canal  (the 
first  ever  made  in  the  United  States);  and  in  a  short 
time  the  railroad  to  Boston  will  be  completed,  affording 
every  facility  of  intercourse  to  the  seaboard. 

This  place  has  grown  by,  and  must  depend  on,  its 
manufactures.  Its  location  renders  it  important,  not 
onlv  to  the  owners,  but  to  the  nation.  Its  consumption 
not  only  employs  the  thousands  of  its  own  population, 


-1(5  A   PRESENT. 

but  many  thousands  far  away  from  them.  It  is  calcu 
lated  not  only  to  give  individual  happiness  and  prosperity, 
but  to  add  to  our  national  wealth  and  independence ;  and 
instead  of  depending  on  foreign  countries,  to  have  oui 
own  material  worked  up  in  our  own  country. 

Some  of  the  girls  attended  three  looms  ;  and  they 
make  from  one  dollar  seventy-five  cents  to  three  dollars 
per  week,  after  paying  their  board.  These  looms  weave 
fifty-five  yards  per  day ;  so  that  one  person  makes  one 
hundred  and  sixty-five  yards  per  day.  Everything 
moves  on  like  clock-work,  in  all  the  variety  of  employ 
ments  ;  and  the  whole  manufacture  appears  to  be  of  the 
very  best. 

The  owner  of  one  of  the  mills,  Mr.  Lawrence,  presented 
me  with  a  suit  of  broadcloth,  made  out  of  wool  bought 
from  Mark  Cockral,  of  Mississippi,  who  sold  them  about 
four  thousand  pounds,  and  it  was  as  good  cloth  as  the 
best  I  ever  bought  for  best  imported. 

The  calico  made  here  is  beautiful,  and  of  every  variety 
of  figure  and  color.  To  attempt  to  give  a  description  of 
the  manner  in  which  it  is  stamped  and  colored  is  far  be 
yond  my  abilities.  One  thing  I  must  state,  that  after 
the  web  is  wove,  and  before  they  go  further,  it  Is  actually 
passed  over  a  red-hot  cylinder ',  to  scorch  off  the  furze. 
The  number  of  different  operations  is  truly  astonishing ; 
and  if  one  of  my  country-women  had  the  whole  of  the 
persons  in  her  train  that  helped  to  make  her  gown,  she 
should  be  like  a  captain  on  a  field  muster  :  and  yet.  when 
y;u  come  to  look  at  the  cost,  it  would  take  a  trunk  full 
of  them  to  find  these  same  people  in  living  for  one  day. 

I  never  witnessed  such  a  combina  tion  of  industry,  and 


A   SUPPEP.  217 

perhaps  never  will  again.  I  saw  the  whole  process,  from 
the  time  they  put  in  the  raw  material,  until  it  came  out 
completely  finished.  In  fact,  it  almost  came  up  to  the 
old  story  of  a  fellow  walking  into  a  patent  machine  with 
a  bun  lie  of  wool  under  his  arm,  and  coming  out  at  the 
other  end  with  a  new  coat  on. 

Nothing  can  be  more  agreeable  than  the  attention  that 
is  paid  by  every  one  connected  with  these  establishments. 
Nothing  appears  to  be  kept  secret — every  process  is 
shown  and  with  great  cheerfulness.  I  regret  that  more 
of  our  southern  and  western  men  do  not  go  there,  as  it 
would  help  much  to  do  away  with  their  prejudices  against 
these  manufactories. 

I  met  the  young  gentlemen  of  Lowell,  by  their  partic 
ular  request,  at  supper.  About  one  hundred  sat  down. 
Everything  was  in  grand  order,  >nd  went  off  well.  They 
toasted  me,  and  I  enlightened  tk"m  by  a  speech  as  good 
as  I  could  make ;  and,  indeed,  I  considered  them  a  good 
set  of  fellows,  and  as  well  worth  speaking  to  as  any  ones 
I  had  met  with.  The  old  saying,  "  tfiem  that  don't  work 
should  not  eat,"  don't  apply  to  theni,  for  they  are  rale 
workies,  and  know  how  to  act  genteeK  too ;  for  I  assure 
you  I  was  not  more  kindly,  and  hospitably,  and  liber 
ally  treated  any  where  than  just  by  thepe  same  people. 

After  supper  I  went  to  my  lodgings  for  the  night. 
Next  morning  I  took  another  range  round  the  town  and 
returned  to  Boston. 

Part  of  this  evening  I  spent  at  Lieutenant  Governor 
Armstrong's,*  where  I  met  a  number  of  ladies  and  gentle 
men.  Part  of  it  went  off  very  pleasantly  \\ith  my  worthy 

*  Samuel  T.  Armstrong,  an  eminent  bookseller  of  Boston 


V^rt  NEW   ENGLAND    HOSPITALITY. 

I&ntflord  in  his  private  rooms  ;  and  I  do  him  the  justice  to 
say,  rh?t  while  he  supplied  his  visiters  with  every  thing  that 
was  nice,  he  had  also  picked  out  for  himself  as  pretty  a 
little  bird  as  ever  fluttered,  and  is  in  good  keeping  with 
everything  about  the  establishment. 

Having  been  invited  to  the  theatre,  I  went  over  and 
eat  a  short  time  to  be  looked  at.  I  was  very  genteel  and 
quiet,  and  so  I  suppose  I  disappointed  some  of  them,  who 
expected  to  see  a  half  horse  half  alligator  S3rt  of  fellow. 

This  was  my  last  night  in  Boston,  and  I  am  sure,  if  I 
never  see  the  place  again,  I  never  can  forget  the  kind 
and  friendly  manner  in  which  I  was  treated  by  them.  It 
appeared  to  me  that  every  body  was  anxious  to  serve  me, 
and  make  my  time  agreeable.  And  as  a  proof  that  comes 
home — when  I  called  for  my  bill  next  morning,  I  was  told 
chere  was  no  charge  to  be  paid  by  me,  and  that  he  was 
very  much  delighted  that  I  had  made  his  house  my  home. 
(  forgot  to  mention  that  they  treated  me  so  in  Lowell — 
but  it  is  true.  This  was,  to  me,  at  all  events,  proof 
enough  of  Yankee  liberality ;  and  more  than  they  gener 
ally  get  credit  for.  In  fact,  from  the  time  I  entered 
New  England,  I  was  treated  with  the  greatest  friendship  ; 
and  I  hope  never  shall  forget  it  ;  and  I  wish  all  who  read 
this  book,  and  who  never  were  there,  would  take  a  trip 
among  them.  If  they  don't  learn  how  to  make  money, 
they  will  know  how  to  use  it ;  and  if  they  don't  learn  in 
dustry,  they  will  see  how  comfortable  every  body  can  be 
that  turns  his  hands  to  some  employment. 

Kext  day  the  stage  called  for  me  at  seven  o'clock,  and 
I  took  my  departure  from  Boston,  and  went  to  Provi 
dence  in  Rhode  Island.  Here  I  was  invited  to  dine  at 


VISIT    TO    CAMDEX. 

two  of  the  hotels,  but  declined  both.  In  fact,  I  wag 
tirod  out,  and  wanted  a  day  or  two  to  get  rested;  and 
my  face  being  turned  towards  Washington  and  my  busi 
ness,  I  thought  I  had  better  go  ahead. 

"Wo  had,  from  Providence,  what  they  call  a  pretly  con 
siderable  of  a  run,  and  landed  safely  in  New  York  that 
city  of  eternal  din  and  confusion. 

I  spent  that  evening  with  some  ladies  and  gentlemen, 

and  rode  out  with ,  in  his  carriage,  faster  than 

I  ever  was  driven  by  horse  power,  for  twenty-five  miles. 

Next  morning  I  took  my  leave  of  the  city  of  New 
York,  and  arrived  safely  in  Philadelphia.  ' 

Having  promised  Mr.  Hoy  of  Camden  to  call  and  see 
him  on  my  return,  and  having  fixed  the  time,  I  went 
over  accompanied  by  several  gentlemen,  to  the  Jersey 
shore,  where  there  were  a  great  many  people  waiting  to 
receive  me.  They  gave  me  the  hand  of  friendship,  and 
appeared  pleased  that  I  had  come  over  to  see  them.  We 
proceeded  to  Mr.  Hoy's,  and  then  I  took  a  walk  around 
through  Camden.  On  returning  to  Mr.  Hoy's  I  took 
some  refreshments,  and  was  called  on  foi  a  toast,  but 
begged  off,  as  I  expected  to  be  called  on  for  one  at  dinner. 

Some  time  after  this  we  were  asked  in  to  dinner,  and 
heard  some  one  say  he  had  lost  his  pocket-book.  And 
in  a  few  minutes  a  second  cry  was  raised,  that  another 
rann  had  lost  his  pocket-book.  I  then  felt  for  mine,  but 
I  felt  in  vain — it  was  gone,  with  on-e  hundred  and  sixty* 
eight  dollars  in  it.  I  told  them  there  was  another  gentle 
man  that  had  his  deposits  removed,  and  it  must  be  a 
Jackson  man  who  did  it,  as  it  was  all  on  their  own  plan. 
But  as  1  was  among  my  friends,  I  knew  I  was  not  just  a 


220  TRIP   TO    BALTIMORE. 

broke  man,  and  therefore  I  shut  pan  on  the  subject,  and 
fell  to  eating  my  dinner.  We  had  every  thing  that  wa& 
good  to  eat,  and  abundance  of  fine  wine,  so  we  soon  for 
got  the  ills  of  life.  After  the  table  was  cleared  and 
some  toasts  drunk,  they  toasted  me  in  a  very  handsome 
manner,  complimenting  me  highly  for  the  course  I  had 
taken  as  a  public  servant.  I  returned  my  gratitude  in  a 
speech  of  about  half  an  hour ;  but  which,  as  is  said 
in  certain  advertisements,  would  be  too  tedious  to 
insert. 

After  spending  a  pleasant  afternoon,  I  returned  to 
Philadelphia  in  the  horse-boat ;  the  very  one,  I  suppose, 
the  fellow  told  of  when  crossing  over.  He  said  they  had 
put  in  a  couple  of  colts,  and  being  very  wild,  they  pitched 
ahead,  ran  off  with  the  boat  down  the  river  and  never 
stopped  till  they  came  up  jam  against  the  breakwater. 

Next  morning  I  was  invited  to  go  on  to  Baltimore  in 
the  People's  Line  of  steamboats.  I  accepted  the  proposal, 
and  started  in  the  Ohio  steamboat.  What  is  a  little  re 
markable  is  this,  that  the  rail-road  line  had  always  here 
tofore  beat  the  People's  Line  until  that  day,  when  we 
passed  them,  and  came  into  port  sometime  before  them. 
Whether  this  wa&  because  they  had  me  on  board  or  not, 
I  do  not  pretend  to  say.  Some  said,  if  I  could  tow  a 
boat  up  the  Mississippi,  it  was  no  wonder  I  could  help 
one  along  on  the  Chesapeake  bay. 

Many  of  my  friends  met  me  on  the  wharf  at  Baltimore, 
and  escorted  me  to  Barnum's,  where  there  was  a  great 
crowd  of  people.  They  called  on  me  for  a  speech.  I 
made  a  great  many  Apologies,  but  none  seemed  to  fit  tha 


RETURN   TO   WASHINGTON.  221 

nght  place,  and  I  was  compelled  once  more  to  play  the 
orator. 

As  usual,  when  there  is  some  speaking  going  on,  there 
is  a  good  deal  of  eating  and  drinking;  so  I  eat  and  drank 
generously,  arid  retired. 

Several  friends  called  on  me,  and  requested  me  to 
visit  Major  James  P.  Heath,  member  of  Congress  from 
Baltimore.  I  did  so,  and  staid  a  short  time  at  his  house, 
and  then  returned  to  uncle  Davie's. 

Next  morning  I  took  the  stage  for  Washington.  When 
I  arrived  at  the  capitol,  I  found  nothing  new,  more  than 
they  had  just  got  through  the  appropriation  bill,  and  was 
taking  the  vote  to  postpone  Mr.  Boone's  resolution,  set 
ting  the  day  of  adjournment.  I  went  in  while  the  clerk 
was  calling  the  ayes  and  noes,  and  when  he  came  to  my 
name,  and  I  answered,  every  one  was  astonished  to  find 
me  at  my  post.  "  Did  not  I  tell  you,"  said  I,  "  that  I 
would  not  vote  on  the  appropriation  bill,  but  when  you 
came  to  any  thing  else,  I  was  '  Charley  on  the  spot  ? '  ' 
I  walked  about  the  house,  saw  my  friends,  and  sat  out 
the  Congress.  When  the  House  adjourned  for  goor\  and 
all,  I  started  for  home,  by  the  way  of  Philadelphia, 


CHAPTER   XXII. 

breaking  np  of  Congress — Crockett  at  Philadelphia — Presentation 
ot  thellifie — The  Colonel's  Speech — Visit  to  the  Fish  House — Cele 
bration  of  the  Fourth  of  July — The  Colonel's  Speech  at  Chesnut 
Street  Theatre — Present  of  Gunpowder  from  Mr.  Dupont — Croc- 
kett  at  Pittsburg — His  advice  to  Tennessee — Conversation  with 
Captain  Stone — Passage  to  Cincinnati  and  Louisville — Speech  at 
Louisville — Return  Hume — Shooting  for  Beef. 

DTD  you,  my  good  reader,  ever  witness  a  breaking  up 
}f  Congress  ?  If  not,  you  bad  better  come  and  see  for 
yourself.  The  fir.--t  thing  that  is  done  is,  to  be  sure  that 
Sunday  shall  be  one  of  the  last  days.  That  is  because 
we  get  paid  for  Sunday ;  and  then,  as  they  generally 
fix,  at  the  end  of  long  sessions,  on  Monday  to  break  up, 
a  good  many  can  start  on  Saturday  evening  or  Sunday 
morning,  with  two  days'  extra  pay  in  hand,  as  they  never 
calculate  on  much  to  be  done  on  the  last  day  of  the  ses 
sion,  except  to  send  messages  to  the  senate  and  president 
that  they  are  ready  to  adjourn,  &c..  &c.  We  generally 
lounge  or  squabble  the  greater  part  of  the  session,  and 
crowd  into  a  few  days  of  the  last  of  the  term  three  or 
four  times  the  business  done  during  as  many  preceding 
months.  You  may  therefore  guess  at  the  deliberations 
of  Congress,  when  you  can't  hear,  for  the  soul  of  you, 
what's  going  on,  nor  no  one  knows  what  it  is,  but  three 

or  four,  and  when  it's  no  use  to  try   to  know.     Woe 
(222) 


BREAKING    UP    OF    CONUKIISS.  223 

betide  a  bill  that  is  opposed  !  It  is  laid  aside  for  further 
time,  and  that  never  comes.  This  is  considered,  how« 
ever,  by  some  of  the  great  men  as  good  legislation  :,  tc 
reject  every  claim,  as  if  the  American  people  was  a  herd 
of  scoundrels,  and  every  petitioner  a  cheat,  and  therefore 
t'icy  are  doing  the  country  service  to  reject  every  thing 
Most  of  these  worthies  are  content  to  vote  no,  and  will 
not  trouble  themselves  to  investigate.  I  don't  know 
what  they  are  made  of,  for  to  me  nothing  is  more  de 
lightful  than  to  vote  for  a  claim  which,  I  think,  is  justly 
due,  and  make  them  feel  as  if  the  government  cared  for 
them  arid  their  concerns,  and  would  pay  what  was  justly 
due.  What  do  you  think  would  a  petitioner  care  about 
going  to  fight  for  his  country  who  had  been  dinging  at 
the  doors  of  Congress,  ever  since  the  last  war,  for  some 
claim  or  other  justly  due  him,  but  driven  from  post  to 
pillar,  because  he  does  not  come  within  the  spirit  or  let 
ter  of  some  general  law,  or  because  if  you  pay  him,  you 
must  others  like  him  ?  This  an't  the  way  with  private 
people ;  they  must  pay,  or  be  called  unjust,  and  be  sued 
into  the  bargain. 

When  I  arrived  in  Philadelphia,  I  put  up  at  the  United 
States,  where  I  felt  a  kind  of  being  at  home. 
,  Next  morning  I  was  informed  that  the  rifle  gun  which 
was  to  be  presented  to  me  by  the  young  men  of  Philadel 
phia,  was  finished,  and  would  be  delivered  that  evening; 
and  that  a  committee  had  been  appointed  to  wait  on  mo 
and  conduct  me  to  where  I  was  to  receive  it.  So,  ac 
cordingly,  in  the  evening  the  committee  came,  and  1 
walked  with  them  to  a  rodtai  nearly  foment  the  old  state- 
house  :  it  was  crowded  full,  and  there  was  a  table  in  the 


224  RTFLE    PRESENTED. 

centre,  with  the  gun,  a  tomahawk,  and  butcher-knife, 
both  of  fine  razor  metal,  with  all  the  accoutrements  ne 
cessary  to  the  gun — the  most  beautiful  I  ever  saw,  or 
any  body  else ;  and  I  am  now  happy  to  add,  as  good  aa 
they  are  handsome.  My  friend,  John  M.  Sanderson,  Esq., 
who  had  the  whole  management  of  getting  her  made,  was 
present,  and  delivered  the  gun  into  my  hands.  Upon 
receiving  her,  I  addressed  the  company  as  follows : 

"  Gentlemen :  I  receive  this  rifle  from  the  young  men 
of  Philadelphia,  as  a  testimony  of  friendship,  which  I 
hope  never  to  live  to  forget.  This  is  a  favorite  article 
with  me,  and  would  have  been  my  choice  above  all  pre 
sents  that  could  have  been  selected.  I  love  a  good  gun, 
for  it  makes  a  man  feel  independent,  and  prepared  either 
for  war  or  peace. 

u  This  rifle  does  honor  to  the  gentleman  that  made  it. 
I  must  say,  long  as  I  have  been  accustomed  to  handle  a 
gun,  I  have  never  seen  anything  that  could  come  near  a 
comparison  to  her  in  beauty.  I  cannot  think  that  ever 
such  a  rifle  was  made,  either  in  this,  or  any  other  coun 
try  ;  and  how,  gentlemen,  to  express  my  gratitude  to 
you  for  your  splendid  present,  I  am  at  loss.  This  much, 
however,  I  will  say,  that  myself  and  my  sons  will  not 
forget  you  while  we  use  this  token  of  your  kindness  for 
our  amusement.  If  it  should  become  necessary  to  use 
her  in  defence  of  the  liberty  of  our  country,  in  my  time, 
I  will  do  as  I  have  done  before ;  and  if  the  struggle 
should  come  when  I  am  buried  in  the  dust,  I  will  leave 
her  in  the  hands  of  some  who  will  honor  your  present, 
in  company  with  your  sons,  in>standing  for  our  country '• 
rights. 


THE   FISH   HOUSE.  225 

"  Accept  my  sincere  thanks,  therefore,  gentlemen,  for 
y^ur  valuable  present — one  of  which  I  will  keep  as  a 
ti  stimony  of  your  friendship,  so  long  as  I  am  in  exis- 

t(1(C." 

I  then  received  the  gun  and  accoutrements,  and  re- 
tv.riiel  to  the  hotel,  where  I  made  an  agreement  with 
Mr.  Sanderson  and  Colonel  Pulaski,  to  go  with  them  the 
next  day  to  Jersey  shore,  at  Camden,  and  try  my  gun. 

Next  morning  we  went  out.  I  had  been  long  out  of 
practice,  so  that  I  could  not  give  her  a  fair  trial.  I  shot 
tolerable  well,  and  was  satisfied  that  when  we  became 
better  acquainted,  the  fault  would  be  mine  if  the  var 
mints  did  not  suffer. 

I  was  invited  the  next  day  to  go  up  and  spend  the  day 
at  the  Fish  House  on  the  Schuylkill,  where  the  fathers 
of  our  country,  in  ancient  days,  used  to  assemble  and 
spend  the  day  in  taking  their  recreation  and  refresh 
ments.  It  has  been  a  noted  place  ever  since,  and  is  as 
beautiful  as  you  can  imagine.  It  is  called  the  twenty- 
fifth  state.  They  have  regular  officers,  and  keep  up  the 
old  customs  with  a  great  deal  of  formality.  We  amused 
ourselves  shooting,  and  catching  perch.  We  had  a  nice 
refreshment,  and  abundance  of  the  best  to  drink.  Every 
gentleman  took  a  hand  in  cooking ;  and  the  day  was 
truly  spent  in  harmony  and  peace. 

The  next  morning  was  the  Fourth  of  July,  and  I  had 
rctxived  an  invitation,  while  at  Washington,  ti>  take  din- 
rer  in  the  first  district,  at  the  HermitagCj  with  the 
Whigs,  and  had  accepted  the  invitation. 

At  an  early  hour  I  was  invited  to  the  Musical  Fund 

Hall,  where  an  oration  was  to  be  delivered;  and  went 
15 


CELEBRATION  OF  THE  FOURTH  OF  JULY. 

with  the  honorable  Messrs.  Webster,  Poindexter,  M\  i 
guin,  Ewing,  and  Bobbins,  senators,  and  Mr.  Denny,  «f 
the  House  of  Representatives.  We  were  conducted  ap 
to  a  gallery  in  the  first  story  of  an  immense  building, 
crowded  below  to  overflowing,  with  ladies  and  gentlemen. 
.  After  the  address  of  the  orator,  the  audience  was  also 
addressed  by  all  the  senators,  and  I  was  then  called  on. 
"A  speech  from  Colonel  Crockett,"  was  the  cry  all  over 
the  house.  I  was  truly  embarrassed  to  succeed  so  many 
great  men,  and  where  I  saw  so  many  ladies ;  but  I  found 
no  excuse  would  do,  and  so  spoke. 

I  then  returned  to  the  hotel,  where  I  was  waited  on  in 
a  short  time  by  a  committee,  with  a  splendid  carriage, 
and  was  conveyed  to  the  Hermitage,  where  I  met  a  large 
concourse  of  people ;  and  when  it  was  made  known  that 
I  had  arrived,  I  was  received  with  loud  and  repeated 
cheers,  and  peals  of  cannon.  I  was  conveyed  to  a  large 
and  cool  shade,  and  introduced  to  a  vast  number  of  citi 
zens,  who  all  appeared  glad  to  see  me.  I  partook  of 
cool  drinks  of  various  kinds,  and  amused  myself  among 
the  people  till  near  the  dinner  hour.  We  were  then 
asked  to  walk  out  and  take  our  seats  on  the  stand, 
where  the  Declaration  of  Independence  was  read,  and  a 
most  appropriate  address  was  delivered  by  the  orator  of 
the  day. 

1  was  then  called  on  by  the  crowd  for  a  speech ;  but 
dinner  was  ready,  and  we  agreed  to  postpone  further 
speaking  until  after  dinner. 

The  dinner,  in  elegance  and  variety,  did  honor  to  the 
person  who  prepared  it.  After  the  cloth  was  remored, 


SPEECH    AT   CHESNIJT    STREET    THEATRE.  227     - 

and  the  regular  toasts  given,  I  was  complimented  with  a 
toast. 

I  rose  and  requested  the  company  to  do  me  the  favor 
tJ  repair  to  the  stand,  and  I  would  endeavor  to  address 
thorn  from  it,  as  the  crowd  was  so  great,  it  would  be  irn 
possible  for  me  to  make  them  hear  at  the  taLle,  and  if  1 
had  to  speak,  I  desired  to  gratify  all.  When  we  got  out, 
I  found  a  great  many  ladies  surrounding  the  stand.  1 
made  my  way  to  it  among  the  crowd,  who  were  loudly 
calling  out  for  my  speech,  and  addressed  them. 

I  then  thanked  the  people  for  their  attention,  and  we 
repaired  to  the  table,  filled  our  glasses,  and  drank  my 
toast. 

By  this  time,  Mr.  Webster,  Mr.  Bobbins,  and  Mr. 
Denny  arrived,  and  each  were  severally  Coasted,  and  each 
made  a  speech.  The  whole  of  the  day  was  delightfully 
spent ;  everybody  seemed  pleased,  and  I  enjoyed  myself 
much. 

Shortly  after  this  the  committee  returned  with  me, 
and  we  went  to  the  Chesnut  street  theatre.  Here  I  met 
a  great  concourse  of  people,  all  in  a  fine  Fourth  of  July 
condition.  Immediately  upon  its  being  announced  that  1 
had  arrived,  I  was  called  on  from  all  quarters  for  a  speech 
I  lose,  and  made  an  apology  that  I  was  so  hoarse,  speaking 
so  much,  that  I  could  hardly  be  heard.  However,  no 
excuse  would  be  taken ;  so  I  was  conveyed  to  the  centre 
')f  the  crowd,  and  made  them  a  short  address.  They 
gave  me  two  or  three  thunders  like  you  hear  on  the 
stage,  and  then  went  on  with  the  show. 

I  soon  left  them  and  returned  to  the  hotel,  and  really 
was  worn  out  with  the  scenes  of  the  day,  and  waking  three 


-      228  PRESENT    FROM    MR.    DUPONJ. 

off-hand  speeches ;  and  I  have  often  thought  since,  that 
nothing  could  have  induced  me  to  have  done  so,  if  it  had 
not  been  in  Philadelphia,  and  on  the  Fourth  of  July.  I 
was  stimulated  by  being  in  sight  of  the  old  State-house, 
and  Independence  square,  where  the  fathers  of  our  coun 
try  met,  as  it  were,  with  halters  on  their  necks,  and  sub- 
Bcribed  their  names  to  that  glorious  Declaration  of  Inde 
pendence. 

Next  morning,  I  was  introduced  to  the  great  powder- 
maker,  Mr.  Dupont,  who  said  to  me,  that  he  had  been 
examining  my  fine  gun,  and  that  he  had  wished  to  make 
me  a  present  of  half  a  dozen  canisters  of  his  best  sports 
man's  powder.  I  thanked  him,  and  he  went  off,  and  in 
a  short  time  returned  with  one  dozen,  nicely  boxed  up 
and  directed  to  me.  I  then  made  my  arrangements  to 
start  the  next  morning. 

While  walking  about  that  evening  with  a  friend,  we 
called  in  at  a  China  importer's  store.  I  was  introduced 
to  him  ;  and  after  looking  at  his  splendid  collection  for 
Borne  time,  he  told  me  he  had  a  wish  to  present  me  with 
a  large  pitcher.  I  thought  the  gentleman  was  joking,  at 
6r*t ;  but  he  assured  me,  that  if  I  would  accept  it,  he 
would  pack  it  up  in  a  box  so  that  it  could  not  break, 
and  I  could  carry  it  home  safely.  I  thanked  him  sin- 
Ctrtty  for  his  friendship.  It  was  sent  to  me,  and  I 
carried  it  home  and  gave  it  to  my  wife,  telling  her  that, 
when  I  was  away,  that  pitcher  should  remind  her  that 
folks  get  thirsty,  and  the  same  spirit  which  prompted 
the  gentleman  to  give,  should  make  us  use  it.  I  am 
sorry  I  forgot  his  name. 

Early  next  morning  I  set  out  for  Pittsburg,  by  th« 


CONVERSATION   WITH   A   JACKSON   MAN.  229 

fast  line,  and  had  a  very  pleasant  trip  over  the  moun 
tains.  I  attracted  much  attention  as  I  passed  through 
Pennsylvania,  where  it  was  known  who  I  was.  Abju* 
the  middle  of  the  State  I  met  with  an  old  man  m  a 
tavern,  and  asked  him  who  was  his  representative  in 
Congress.  "Why,"  says  he,  "Dunlap."  I  tjl(J  him 
that  could  not  be,  there  was  but  one  of  that  ii<ime  in, 
and  he  was  from  Tennessee.  "Well,"  sajs  he,  "it 
must  be  Crawford."  No,  I  told  him,  there  was  no 
Crawford  in  the  House.  "  Well,  hang  it,  then,  it  must 
be  George  Chambers."  "Ah,  now  you're  right;  I 
know  him  well,  he's  a  good  fellow — walks  the  planks 
straight.  I  hope  you  will  re-elect  him."  "Well,  I 
expect  we  will ;  I  know  nothing  against  him,  only  he 
isn't  on  our  side."  "  What  side  are  you  on  ?"  "  Well, 
I'm  for  Jackson."  "Why,"  said  I,  "I  thought  that 
was  no  side  at  all;  he's  on  top.1'  The  old  man  looked 
at  me  right  hard.  Says  I,  "  Mister,  what  makes  you 
for  Jackson  ?"  "  Why,"  says  he,  "  he  licked  the  British 
at  New  Orleans,  and  paid  off  the  national  debt." 
"  Mister,"  says  I,  "  who  was  the  officers  and  soldiers 
that  fought  at  New  Orleans  besides  General  Jackson  ?" 
He  said  he  did  not  know.  "Well,"  says  I,  "they 
ought  to  have  a  part  of  the  glory,  any  how — now  tell 
me  whose  money  pays  off  the  national  debt?'"  "Why, 
I  suppose,  old  Jackson's,  as  they  keep  so  much  talk 
about  it."  "  Well,  now,  my  good  old  friend,  suppose 
part  of  it  was  yours,  and  part  mine,  and  part  every 
body's  else ;  and  suppose  he  would  have  been  broke  of 
his  office  if  he  had  not  paid  out  what  a  law  of  Congress, 
made  twenty  years  ago,  provided  for  paying,  what  is  the 


230  CROCKETT    AT    PITTSBURG. 

glory  of  the  whole  of  this?"  He  looked  kind  of 
stumped.  I  bid  him  good  bye,  and  told  him  that  he 
ought  to  read  both  sides. 

I  arrived  in  Pittsburg  in  the  night,  and  early  in  the 
morning  went  down  to  the  wharf  to  inquire  for  a  steam 
boat.  I  soon  found  Captain  Stone,  who  commanded 
the  Hunter.  He  said  he  had  been  waiting  a  day,  think 
ing  that  I  would  like  to  go  with  him.  That  was  true, 
and  I  found  him  all  sorts  of  a  clever  man.  We  were  to 
start  at  ten  o'clock.  I  returned  to  the  tavern  where  I 
had  put  up,  and  a  great  many  gentlemen  called  to  see 
me,  and,  among  others,  Mr.  Grant,  brother-in-law  of 
Governor  Carroll,  of  Tennessee.  He  invited  me  to  walk 
through  the  city,  and  to  visit  his  house,  which  I  did, 
and  he  introduced  me  to  a  great  many  of  the  citizens. 
I  returned,  and  prepared  for  a  start. 

My  acquaintance  in  this  place  was  very  limited.  I 
had  been  there  before,  but  my  name  had  not  made  such 
a  noise  then  as  now. 

The  marks  of  industry  and  enterprise  are  very  visible 
in  Pittsburg.  It  is  a  perfect  workshop,  and  is  increasing 
every  year  in  extent,  beauty,  and  population.  The 
aqueduct,  and  other  splendid  works  terminating  the 
great  canal  from  Philadelphia,  speaks  highly  for  Penn 
sylvania  foresight  and  perseverance.  What  signifies  the 
debt  incurred  by  her  ?,  but  it  is  no  debt,  in  my  mind. 
It  is  a  noble,  imperishing,  and  increasing  investment  for 
posterity ;  and  they  will,  to  remotest  ages,  bta  the 
men  who  have  sustained  so  much  abuse  by  the  pa-?K  out 
of  office,  and  will  consider  them  as  the  greatest  bene 
factors  of  their  State  and  of  the  nation.  I  say  of  the 


PITTSBURGH  231 

nation ;  for  this  canal  is  a  new  artery  in  the  body 
politic,  through  which  the  life-blood  of  its  future  pros 
perity  and  union  will  flow  for  ever.  Its  present  facili- 
t'es  have  brought  a  part  of  the  State  of  Ohio,  in  point 
of  cost  of  transportation,  within  two  days'  drive  with  a 
Dragon  of  the  city  of  Philadelphia,  and  it  will  be  lower 
Rtill.  Is  not  this  national  in  its  operation  ?  Who  can 
f'oubt  it  ? 

I  had  heard  it  said,  particularly  in  New  York,  that 
this  same  canal  never  could  get  along,  because  their 
great  western  canal  would  carry  all  the  produce  and 
merchandize ;  and  I  took  some  pains  to  hear  a  little 
about  it,  and  am  fully  persuaded  such  is  not  the  fact, 
and  never  can  be.  I  was  informed  that  the  trade  on 
this  Pennsylvania  canal  was  four  or  five  times  what  it 
was  when  the  first  year  ended,  and  in  a  few  years  would 
be  a  profit  to  the  State ;  and  to  me  it  seems  clear,  that 
no  one  south  of  Pittsburg,  in  Ohio,  and  elsewhere,  are 
going  to  send  their  merchandize  way  round  by  the  New 
York  canal,  and  run  the  risks  of  the  lake,  when  they 
can  put  them  snug  into  a  boat  at  Philadelphia,  and  land 
them  safe,  without  risk,  in  Pittsburg.  I  wish  I  could 
agree  with  the  Pennsylvanians  as  well  in  other  respects 
as  I  do  on  internal  improvements.  What  will  she  not 
do  for  her  inhabitants  in  a  few  years,  when  her  twenty 
odd  millions,  invested  in  all  her  vast  and  various  im 
provements,  shall  yield  but  a  moderate  profit !  Her 
roads  will  all  be  paved ;  her  rivers  and  creeks  made 
navigable;  her  schools  be  free  for  high  and  low,  and 
her  inhabitants  free  from  taxation  f ! !  Reader,  these 
erents  are  sure  to  come. 


232  ADVICE   TO   TENNESSEE. 

And  here,  let  me  address  a  word  to  my  own  State, 
Go  on  with  what  little  you  have  begun,  and  never  rest 
until  you  have  opened  every  facility  to  every  part  of  our 
State.  Though  we  are  divided  into  east  and  west,  we 
are  all  Tennessee.  Give  a  "  long  pull,  and  a  strong 
pull,  and  a  pull  altogether,"  and  every  difficulty  will 
vanish.  Give  our  inhabitants  a  chance  among  the  rest 
of  the  States,  and  you'll  not  hear  so  much  of  Alabama, 
or  Arkansas,  or  Texas. 

Well,  I've  got  a  long  slipe  off  from  my  steamboat,  the 
Hunter,  and  I  had  better  look  up  the  captain.  So  off 
I  starts,  trunk,  gun-case,  old  lady's  pitcher,  and  all. 
"  How's  the  water,  Captain  Stone  ?"  "  Why,  colonel, 
the  river  is  pretty  considerable  for  a  run,  but  the  water 
is  as  cool  as  Presbyterian  charity,  and  the  old  Monon- 
gahela  is  a  leetle  of  the  remains  of  what  Abigail,  the 
wife  of  old  Nabal,  carried  as  a  present  to  David.  Clear 
off  the  coal-dust  out  of  your  wizzand,  and  give  us  a 
yarn  about  your  tower."  "  Why,  captain,  may  I  be 
shot  if  you  mightn't  run  with  this  same  craft  of  yourn 
down,  through,  and  out  of  Symmes's  lower  hole,  and 
back  again,  afore  I  could  get  through  half  what  I've 
seen  ;  I've  been  clean  away  amongst  the  Yankees,  where 
they  call  your  name  Stunn."  "Me,  Stunn  !  well,  it's 
hard  that  as  slick  a  fellow  as  me  should  go  by  such 
nick-names.  Livin  gingers  !  what  d'ye  suppose,  colonel, 
they  call  me  in  Orlanes  ?"  "  I  dare  say,  some  hard 
name."  "Only  think  of  the  parly  vous ;  some  call  me 
Mr.  Peer,  and  some,  by  jingo,  call  me  Mr.  Peter ;  and 
you  can't  beat  it  out  of  them.  Only  think  of  Sam  Gun, 
the  fireman ;  he  took  a  spree  with  some  of  them  Char- 


CONVERSATION   WITH   CAPTAIN   STONE  23d 

lies,  in  Orlanes,  and  they  begun  to  call  him  Mounsheer 
Fusil.  Well,  Sam  bore  it  a  good  while ;  but  at  last  he 
told  Joe  Head,  the  engineer,  that  the  first  fellow  who 
miscalled  his  father's  name,  should  have  a  tip  of  his 
daddle.  'Good,'  says  Joe;  says  he,  'Sam,  only  take 
care  of  their  caniffs,  as  how  they  call  them  long  knives.' 
Well,  it  wasn't  long  before  Sam  peeled  the  bark  off  of  a 
parly's  knowledge-box,  and  so  Joe  and  him  had  it  with 
a  cabin  full  of  them.  So  Sam  he  got  off  to  the  boat, 
but  the  calaboos  men  got  Joe ;  so  Joe  he  sends  for  me, 
and  when  they  cum  for  me,  they  passed  the  word  that 
Mr.  Tate  had  sent  for  me.  Well,  off  I  goes  to  the 
police,  and  they  axed  me  if  I  would  go  bail  for  Moun- 
sheer  Tate.  'No,'  says  I;  'don't  know  him.'  4  Yes, 
but  you  do,  captain,'  said  some  one  inside ;  and  when  I 
went  in,  who  should  it  be  but  Joe  Head !  transmogrified 
into  Mounsheer  Tate ! !  Well,  we  got  the  matter  ex 
plained,  and  they  all  laughed  and  drunk  friends.  Well, 
colonel,  here's  to  you  ;  I'm  sure  you  didn't  get  anything 
better  anywhere ;  and  afore  we  quit,  just  tell  me,  did 
you  see  the  sea-sarpint ?"  "No,  indeed,  I  did  not, 
although  1  spoke  for  him  not  to  be  out  of  the  way." 
"  Well,  colonel,  I  wonder  at  them  Yankee  fellows,  they 
are  monstrous  cute ;  but  I  suspect  they  don't  know 
much  about  snaking.  I  think  with  me  in  the  Hunter 
here,  you  with  your  rifle,  and  one  of  these  'long  shore 
Spaniards  with  his  lasso,  we  would  give  him  a  little  of 
the  hurricane  tipp'd  with  thunder."  "  If  we  didn't 
catch  him,"  says  I,  "  we  could  scare  him  out  of  his  skin, 
and  that's  all  they  want  at  the  museum." 

So  we  passed  our  time  till  we  arrived  opposite  Wheel- 


1234        PASSAGE   TO   CINCINNATI  AND   LOUISVILLE. 

ing.  I  walked  up  into  the  town,  and  was  soon  sur 
rounded  by  many  of  the  citizens,  and  in  a  short  time  was 
waited  on  by  a  committee,  and  invited  to  partake  of  a 
dinner  that  day  at  three  o'clock.  This  kind  invitation  1 
was  obliged  to  decline,  lest  I  should  lose  my  passage. 
So  they  treated  me  handsomely,  and  asked  the  captain, 
before  he  started,  to  run  a  short  distance  up  the  river, 
and  as  he  came  past  they  would  give  him  a  salute.  He 
did  so.  I  got  on  the  hurricane  deck,  took  off  my  hat, 
and  returned  their  salute.  They  continued  to  cheer  un 
til  we  got  out  of  hearing.  All  went  on  well,  and  we  ar 
rived  at  tne  mouth  of  Guyandotte,  where  we  took  on 
board  Messrs,  flardin,  Tompkins,  and  Beaty,  three  of  the 
members  of  Congress  from  Kentucky.  We  went  on  plea- 
san'ly  until  we  arrived  at  Cincinnati.  Our  boat  was 
fine,  and  the  Captain  a  clever  fellow.  It  was  night  when 
we  arrived  ;  so,  early  next  morning  I  called  to  see  my 
two  friends,  Messrs.  Smiths  and  families,  spent  a  short 
time  with  them,  and  returned  to  the  boat.  By  this  time 
it  was  ascertained  that  I  was  on  board,  and  a  committee 
waited  on  me,  and  invited  me  to  partake  of  a  cold  cut  at 
three  o'clock  that  day,  and  make  them  a  speech.  I 
agreed  to  do  so. 

I  remained  over  night  and  took  the  packet  boat  next 
morning  for  Louisville,  where  I  arrived  the  day  after. 
My  friends  had  provided  for  me  at  the  Louisville  hotel, 
the  finest  public  house  I  have  been  in  west  of  the  moun 
tains.  I  was  asked  to  make  a  speech  to  the  people  next 
day,  which  I  agreed  to,  as  I  had  no  hope  of  getting  off  n  a 
boat  for  a  few  days.  It  was  published  that  I  was  to 
ppeak  on  the  next  evening ;  so  I  was  sent  for  in  the 


SPEECH   AT   LOUISVILLE.  235 

morning  to  visit  Jeffersonville  Springs,  in  Indiana,  across 
:ho  river.  I  went,  arid  found  a  number  of  ladies  and 
gentlemen,  and  after  being  introduced  to  the  company, 
I  was  asked  to  make  a  speech,  to  which  I  had  but  little 
objection,  as  I  wished  to  discuss  the  question  of  the  Pres 
ident  vetoing  the  Wabash  appropriation,  and  yet  signing 
the  Van  Buren,  New  York,  Hudson  river  bill.  This  I 
did,  and  the  people  appeared  well  pleased.  I  partook  of 
some  of  the  good  things  of  this  life  with  them,  exhorting 
all  Jackson  Van  Buren  men  to  turn  from  the  evil  of  their 
ways,  and  took  myself  off  for  the  other  side  of  the 
river. 

In  the  evening  I  attended  at  the  court-house,  and  met 
the  largest  concourse  of  people  that  ever  has  been  assem 
bled  in  Louisville  since  it  has  been  settled.  This  I  was 
told  by  a  gentleman  who  had  resided  there  for  upwards 
of  twenty  years.  The  people  all  appeared  to  be  excited 
with  curiosity  or  something  else.  I  had  no  idea  of  at 
tracting  so  much  attention ;  but  there  I  was  in  the  thick 
of  them.  I  discovered  there  were  a  great  many  ladies 
amongst  the  audience,  and  among  them  the  celebrated 
Mrs.  Drake.  A  stand  had  been  erected  for  me  in  the 
court-house  yard,  on  which  I  stood  and  addressed  the 
crowd. 

I  then  returned  to  the  hotel,  and  in  a  short  time  a 
committee  of  the  young  men  waited  on  me  and  invited 
me  to  a  dinner  on  Thursday,  as  a  testimony  in  favor  of 
my  political  course.  I  gave  a  conditional  acceptance, 
and  no  boat  arriving,  I  attended  and  partook  of  them 
with  a  splendid  dinner.  I  was  toasted,  and  made  a  speech, 
?omplim«nting  the  young  men  for  their  zeal  in  the  cause 


236  RETURN   HOME. 

of  their  country.  If  I  had  the  powers  of  General  La  fa 
yette,  I  would  have  written  out  all  my  speeches ;  but  I 
have  not,  and  therefore  omit  this  one.  All  passed  off 
pleasantly,  and  next  day  I  took  the  steamboat  Scotland, 
commanded  by  Captain  Buckner,  a  gentleman,  every 
inch  of  him.  After  a  fine  run,  we  arrived  at  Mills' 
Point  on  the  22d  day  of  July.  Here  I  once  more  touched 
the  soil  of  Tennessee,  and  found  my  son  William  waiting 
to  carry  me  home,  which  was  distant  thirty-five  miles. 

When  I  landed  and  took  out  my  fine  gun,  the  folks  ga 
thered  round  me  to  see  the  great  curiosity.  A  large  fel 
low  stepped  up,  and  asked  me  why  all  the  membeis  did 
not  get  such  guns  given  them  ?  I  told  him  I  got  that 
gun  for  being  honest,  in  supporting  my  country  instead 
of  bowing  down  and  worshiping  an  idol.  He  locked  at 
me  and  said,  that  was  very  strong.  "  No  stronger  than 
true,  my  friend,"  said  I. 

In  a  short  time  I  set  out  for  my  own  home :  yes,  my 
own  home,  my  own  soil,  my  own  humble  dwelling,  my 
own  family,  my  own  hearts,  my  ocean  of  love  and  affec 
tion  which  neither  circumstances  nor  time  can  dry  up. 
Here,  like  the  wearied  bird,  let  me  settle  down  for  awhile, 
and  shut  out  the  world.  *  *  *  * 

In  the  course  of  a  few  days,  I  determined  to  try  my 
new  gun  upon  the  living  subject.  I  started  for  a  hunt, 
and  shortly  came  across  a  fine  buck.  He  fell  at  the  dis 
tance  of  one  hundred  and  thirty  steps.  Not  a  bad  shot, 
you  will  say.  I  say,  not  a  bad  gun  either.  After  a  little 
practice  with  her,  she  came  up  to  the  eye  prime,  and  1 
determined  to  try  her  at  the  first  shooting-match  for 
beef. 


SHOOTING    FOR   BEEF.  f>31 

As  this  is  a  novelty  to  most  of  my  readers,  I  will 
endeavor  to  give  a  description  of  this  western  amuse 
ment. 

In  the  latter  part  of  summer  our  nattle  get  very  fat, 
as  the  range  is  remarkably  fine ;  and  some  one,  desirous 
of  raising  money  on  one  of  his  cattle,  advertises  that  cm 
a  particular  day,  and  at  a  given  place,  a  first-rate  beef 
will  be  shot  for. 

When  the  day  comes,  every  marksman  in  the  neigh 
borhood  will  meet  at  the  appointed  place,  with  his  gun. 
After  the  company  has  assembled,  a  subscription  paper 
is  handed  round,  with  the  following  heading : 

"  A.  B.  offers  a  beef  worth  twenty  dollars,  to  be  shot 
for,  at  twenty-five  cents  a  shot."  Then  the  names  are 
put  down  by  each  person,  thus : 

D.  C.  puts  in  four  shots,        .         .         .         $1  00 

E.  F.       "       eight  "  .         .         .       2  00 
G.  H.      "       two     "            ...  0  50 
And  thus  it  goes  round,  until  the  price  is  made  up. 
Two  persons  are  then  selected,  who  have  not  entered 

for  shots,  to  act  as  judges  of  the  match.  Every  shooter 
gets  a  board,  and  makes  a  cross  in  the  centre  of  his  tar 
get.  The  shot  that  drives  the  centre,  or  comes  nearest 
to  it,  gets  the  hide  and  tallow,  which  is  considered  the 
first  choice.  The  next  nearest  gets  his  choice  of  the 
hind  quarters ;  the  third  gets  the  other  hind  quarter ; 
the  fourth  takes  choice  of  the  fore  quarters  ;  the  fifth  the 
remaining  quarter ;  and  the  sixth  gets  the  lead  in  the 
tree  against  which  we  shoot. 

The  judges  stand  near  the  tree,  and  when  a  man  fires 
they  cry  out,  "  Who  shot?  "  and  the  shooter  gives  in  his 


238  SHOOTING   FOB   BEEF. 

name;  and  so  on,  till  all  havi  shot.  The  judges  .hen 
take  all  the  boards,  and  go  off  by  themselves,  and  decide 
what  quarter  each  man  has  w>n.  Sometimes  one  will 
get  nearly  all. 

This  is  one  of  our  homely  imusements — enjoyed  as 
much  by  us,  and  perhaps  more,  than  most  cf  your  refined 
entertainments.  Here  each  nran  takes  &  part,  if  he 
pleases,  and  no  one  is  excluded,  unless  hia  k.t^r'j^i  con 
duct  renders  him  unfit  as  an  associate. 


^ 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 

electioneering — Stump  speech — Price  of  Popularity — Treating-  Tli€ 
CDOL  skin  Trick — The  Yankee  Merchant  outwitted — Offer  of  Com 
pensation  on  the  part  of  the  Colonel  refused — Adam  Huntsman, 
the  Colonel's  Opponent. 

I  BEGIN  this  chapter  on  the  8th  day  of  July,  1835,  at 
Home,  Weakley  county,  Tennessee.  I  have  just  re 
turned  from  a  two  weeks'  electioneering  canvass  and  I 
have  spoken  every  day  to  large  concourses  of  people 
with  my  competitor.  I  have  him  badly  plagued,  for  he 
does  not  know  as  much  about  "  the  Government,"  the 
deposites,  and  the  Little  Flying  Dutchman,  whos^-  life  I 
wrote,  as  I  can  tell  the  people ;  and  at  times  hn  is  as 
much  bothered  as  a  fly  in  a  tar  pot  to  get  out  of  the 
mess.  A  candidate  is  often  stumped  in  making  stump 
speeches.  His  name  is  Adam  Huntsman ;  he  lost  a  leg 
in  an  Indian  fight,  they  say,  during  the  last  war,  nnd  the 
Government  run  him  on  the  score  of  his  military  services. 
I  tell  him  in  my  speech  that  I  have  great  hopes  cf  writ- 
mg  one  more  book,  and  that  shall  be  the  second  fall  of 
Adam,  for  he  is  on  the  Eve  of  an  almighty  thrashing. 
He  relishes  the  joke  about  as  much  as  a  doctor  do^s  his 
own  physic.  I  handle  the  administration  without  g^ves, 
and  1  do  believe  I  will  double  my  competitor,  if  I  }*ave 

a  fair  shake,  and  he  does  not  work  like  a  mole  ii   t,he 

(239) 


240  STUMP   SPEECH. 

dark.  Jacksonism  is  dying  here  faster  than  it  ever 
sprung  up,  and  I  predict  that  "  the  Government "  will 
be  the  most  unpopular  man,  in  one  year  more,  that  ever 
had  any  pretensions  to  the  high  place  he  now  fills.  Four 
weeks  from  to-morrow  will  end  the  dispute  in  our  elec 
tions,  and  if  old  Adam  is  not  beaten  out  of  his  hunting 
shirt,  my  name  isn't  Crockett. 

While  on  the  subject  of  election  matters,  I  will  just 
relate  a  little  anecdote  about  myself,  which  will  show 
the  people  to  the  east,  how  we  manage  these  things  on 
the  frontiers.  It  was  when  I  first  run  for  Congress  ;  I 
was  then  in  favor  of  the  Hero,  for  he  had  chalked  out 
his  course  so  sleek  in  his  letter  to  the  Tennessee  legisla 
ture,  that,  like  Sam  Patch,  says  I,  "  there  can  be  no 
mistake  in  him,"  and  so  I  went  ahead.  No  one  dreamt 
about  the  monster  and  the  deposites  at  that  time,  and  so, 
as  I  afterward  found,  many,  like  myself,  were  taken  in 
by  these  fair  promises,  which  were  worth  about  as  much 
as  a  flash  in  the  pan  when  you  have  a  fair  ,shot  at  a  fat 
bear. 

But  I  am  losing  sight  of  my  story.  Well,  I  started 
off  to  the  Cross  Roads,  dressed  in  my  hunting  shirt,  and 
my  rifle  on  my  shoulder.  Many  of  our  constituents  had 
assembled  there  to  get  a  taste  of  the  quality  of  the  can 
didates  at  orating.  Job  Snelling,  a  gander-shanked 
IL  ankee,  who  had  been  caught  somewhere  about  Plymouth 
Bay,  and  been  shipped  to  the  west  with  a  cargo  of  cod 
fish  and  rum,  erected  a  large  shantee,  and  set  up  shop 
for  the  occasion.  A  large  posse  of  the  voters  had  as 
sembled  before  I  arrived,  and  my  opponent  had  already 
made  considerable  headway  with  his  speechifying  and 


PRICE   OF    POPULARITY.  241 

his  treating,  when  they  spied  me  about  a  rifle  shot  from 
the  camp,  sauntering  along  as  if  I  was  not  a  party  in 
business.  "There  comes  Crockett,"  cried  one.  "Let 
as  hear  the  colonel,"  cried  another,  and  so  I  mounted 
the  stump  that  had  been  cut  down  for  the  occasion,  and 
began  to  bushwhack  in  the  most  approved  style. 

I  had  not  been  up  long  before  there  was  such  an  up 
roar  in  the  crowd  that  I  could  not  hear  my  own  voice, 
and  some  of  my  constituents  let  me  know,  that  they  could 
not  listen  to  me  on  such  a  dry  subject  as  the  welfare  of 
the  nation,  until  they  had  something  to  drink,  and  that 
I  must  treat  them.  Accordingly  I  jumped  down  from 
the  rostrum,  and  led  the  way  to  the  shantee,  followed 
by  my  constituents,  shouting,  "Huzza  for  Crockett," 
and  "  Crockett  for  ever  !  " 

When  we  entered  the  shantee,  Job  was  busy  dealing 
out  his  rum  in  a  style  that  showed  he  was  making  a  good 
day's  work  of  it,  and  I.  called  for  a  quart  of  the  best,  but 
;he  crooked  critur  returned  no  other  answer  than  by  point 
ing  to  a  board  over  the  bar,  on  which  he  had  chalked  in 
large  letters,  "  Pay  to-day  and  trust  to-morrow."  Now  that 
idea  brought  me  up  all  standing ;  it  was  a  sort  of  corner 
ing  in  which  there  was  no  back  out,  for  ready  money  m 
the  west,  in  those  times,  was  the  shyest  thing  in  all  na- 
tur,  and  it  was  most  particularly  shy  with  me  on  that 
occasion. 

The  voters  seeing  my  predicament,  fell  off  to  the  other 
side,  and  I  was  left  deserted  and  alone,  as  the  Govern 
ment  will  be,  when  he  no  longer  has  any  offices  to  bestow. 
I  saw,  as  plain  as  day,  that  the  tide  of  popular  opinion 
was  against  me,  and  that,  unless  I  got  some  rum  speed  ly, 
16 


242  TREATING. 

I  should  lose  my  election  as  sure  as  there  are  snakes  m 
Virginny, — and  it  must  be  done  soon,  or  even  burnt 
brandy  wouldn't  save  me.  So  I  walked  away  from  the 
shantee,  but  in  another  guess  sort  from  the  way  I  entered 
it,  for  on  this  occasion  I  had  no  train  after  me,  and  not 
a  voice  shouted,  "  Huzza  for  Crockett."  Popularity 
sometimes  depends  on  a  very  small  matter  indeed ;  in 
this  particular  it  was  worth  a  quart  of  New  England 
rum,  and  no  more. 

Well,  knowing  that  a  crisis  was  at  hand,  I  struck  into 
the  woods  with  my  rifle  on  my  shoulder,  my  best  friend 
in  time  of  need,  and  as  good  fortune  would  have  it,  I  had 
not  been  out  more  than  a  quarter  of  an  hour  before  I 
treed  a  fat  coon,  and*  in  the  pulling  of  a  trigger,  he  lay 
dead  at  the  root  of  the  tree.  I  soon  whipped  his  hairy 
jacket  off  his  back,  and  again  bent  my  steps  towards  the 
ehantee,  and  walked  up  to  the  bar,  but  not  alone,  for  this 
time  I  had  half  a  dozen  of  my  constituents  at  my  heels.^ 
I  threw  down  the  coon  skin  upon  the  counter,  and  called 
for  a  quart,  and  Job,  though  busy  in  dealing  out  rum, 
forgot  to  point  at  his  chalked  rules  and  regulations,  for 
he  knew  that  a  coon  was  as  good  a  legal  tender  for  a 
quart,  m  the  west,  as  a  New  York  shilling,  any  day  in 
the  year. 

My  constituents  now  flocked  about  me,  and  cried, 
"  Huzza  for  Crockett,"  "  Crockett  for  ever,"  and  find- 
ing  the  tide  had  taken  a  turn,  I  told  them  several  yarns, 
to  get  them  in  a  good  humor,  and  having  soon  dispatched 
the  value  of  the  coon,  I  went  out  and  mounted  the  stump, 
without  opposition,  and  a  clear  majority  of  the  voters 
followed  me  to  hear  what  I  had  to  offer  for  the  good 


COON    SKIN    TRTCK.  243 

of  the  nation.  Before  I  was  half  through,  one  of  n  y 
constituents  moved  that  they  would  hear  the  balance  cr 
my  speech,  after  they  had  washed  down  the  first  part 
with  some  more  of  Job  Snelling's  extract  of  cornstalk 
and  molassess,  and  the  question  being  put,  it  was  carrie  I 
unanimously.  It  wasn't  considered  necessary  to  tell  the 
yeas  and  nays,  so  we  adjourned  to  the  shantee,  and  on 
the  way  I  began  to  reckon  that  the  fate  of  the  nation 
pretty  much  depended  upon  my  shooting  another  coon. 

While  standing  at  the  bar,  feeling  sort  of  bashful  while 
Job's  rules  and  regulations  stared  me  ip  the  face,  I  cast 
down  my  eyes,  and  discovered  one  end  of  the  coon  skin 
sticking  between  the. logs  that  supported  the  bar.  Job 
had  slung  it  there  in  the  hurry  of  business.  I  gave  it  a 
sort  of  quick  jerk,  and  it  followed  my  hand  as  natural  as- 
if  I  had  been  the  rightful  owner.  I  slipped  it  on  the 
counter,  and  Job,  little  dreaming  that  be  was  barking 
up  the  wrong  tree,  shoved  along  another  bottle,  which 
my  constituents  quickly  disposed  of  wi^h  great  good 
humor,  for  some  of  them  saw  the  trick,  and  then  we 
withdrew  to  the  rostrum  to  discuss  the  affairs  of  the  na 
tion. 

I  don't  know  Jiow  it  was,  but  the  voter?  soon  became 
dry  again,  aid  nothing  would  do,  but  we  rxiust  adjourn 
to  the  shantee,  and  as  luck  would  have  it,  the  coon  skin 
was  still  sticking  between  the  logs,  as  if  Job  had  flung  it 
there  on  purpose  to  tempt  me.  I  was  not  slow  in  raising 
it  to  the  counter,  the  rum  followed  of  course,  and  I  wish 
I  may  be  shot,  if  I  didn't,  before  the  day  was  over,  get 
ten  quarts  for  the  same  identical  skin,  and  fram  i  feibw, 


244  YANKEE    MERCHANT. 

too,  who  in  those  parts  was  considered  as  sharp  as  a  steel 
trap,  and  as  bright  as  a  pewter  button. 

This  joke  secured  me  my  election,  for  it  soon  circu 
lated  like  smoke  among  mj  constituents,  and  thry  al 
lowed,  with  one  accord,  that  the  man  who  could  gst  the 
whip  hand  of  Job  Snelling  in  fair  trade,  could  outwit  Old 
Nick  himself,  and  was  the  real  grit  for  them  in  Con 
gress.  Job  was  by  no  means  popular ;  he  boasted  of 
always  being  wide  awake,  and  that  any  one  who  could 
take  him  in,  was  free  to  do  so,  for  he  came  from  a  stock, 
that  sleeping  or  waking  had  always  one  eye  open,  and 
the  other  not  more  than  half  closed.  The  whole  family 
were  geniuses.  His  father  wTas  the  inventor  of  wooden 
nutmegs,  by  which  Job  said  he  might  have  made  a  for 
tune,  if  he  had  only  taken  out  a  patent  and  kept  the  bu 
siness  in  his  own  hands  ;  his  mother  Patience  manufac 
tured  the  first  white  oak  pumpkin  seeds  of  the  mammoth 
kind,  and  turned  a  pretty  penny  the  first  season  ;  and 
his  aunt  Prudence  was  the  first  to  discover  that  corn 
husks,  steeped  into  tobacco  water,  would  make  as  hand 
some  Spanish  wrappers  as  ever  came  from  Havana,  and 
that  oak  leaves  would  answer  all  the  purpose  of  filling, 
for  no  one  could  discover  the  difference  except  the  man 
who  smoked  them,  and  then  it  would  be  too  late  to  make 
a  stir  about  it.  Job,  himself,  bragged  of  having  made 
Borne  useful  discoveries  ;  the  most  profitable  of  which  was 
the  art  of  converting  mahogany  sawdust  into  cayenne 
pepper,  which  he  said  was  a  profitable  and  safe  business ; 
for  the  people  have  been  so  long  accustomed  to  having 
dust  thrown  in  their  oyes,  that  there  wasn't  much  dan 
ger  of  being  found  out. 


PAID   THE    RUM.  245 

The  way  I  got  to  the  blind  side  of  the  Yankee  mer 
chant,  was  pretty  generally  known  before  election  day, 
and  the  result  was,  that  my  opponent  might  as  well  h»ve 
whistled  jigs  to  a  milestone,  as  attempt  to  beat  up  for 
votes  in  that  district.  I  beat  him  out  and  out,  quite 
back  into  the  old  year,  and  there  was  scarce  enough  left 
of  him,  after  the  canvass  was  over,  to  make  a  small  grease 
spot.  He  disappeared  without  even  leaving  a  mark  be 
hind  ;  and  such  will  be  the  fate  of  Adam  Huntsman,  if 
there  is  a  fair  fight  and  no  gouging. 

After  the  election  was  over,  I  sent  Snelling  the  price 
of  the  rum,  but  took  good  care  to  keep  the  fact  from 
the  knowledge  of  my  constituents.  Job  refused  the 
money,  and  sent  me  word,  that  it  did  him  good  to  be 
taken  in  occasionally,  as  it  served  to  brighten  his  ideas ; 
but  I  afterwards  learnt  when  he  found  out  the  trick  that 
had  been  played  upon  him,  he  put  all  the  rum  I  had 
ordered,  in  his  bill  against  my  opponent,  who,  being  ela 
ted  with  the  speeches  he  had  made  on  the  affairs  of  the 
nati>n,  could  not  descend  to  examine  into  the  particulars 
of  a  bill  of  a  vender  of  rum  in  the  small  way. 


CHAPTER    XXIV. 

The  Colonel  loses  bis  election — How  it  happened — Political 
cation  and  corruption — The  Colonel's  opinions  and  sentiments  on 
political  affairs — Where  the  public  money  goes — Anecdote — The 
Colonel's  parting  blessing  to  his  constituents — He  resolves  to  go 
to  Texas,  and  engage  in  the  war  for  its  Independence — Specimen 
of  the  Colonel's  poetry. 

August  11,  1835.  I  AM  now  at  home  in  Weakley 
county.  Mj  canvass  is  over,  and  the  result  is  known. 
Contrary  to  all  expectation,  I  am  beaten  two  hundred 
and  thirty  votes,  from  the  best  information  I  can  get ; 
and  in  this  instance,  I  may  say,  bad  is  the  best.  My 
mantle  has  fallen  upon  the  shoulders  of  Adam,  and  I 
hope  he  may  wear  it  with  becoming  dignity,  and  never 
lose  sight  of  the  welfare  of  the  nation,  for  the  purpose 
of  elevating  a  few  designing  politicians  to  the  head  of  the 
heap.  The  rotten  policy  pursued  by  "  the  Government" 
ca.nnot  last  long ;  it  will  either  work  its  own  downfall, 
or  the  downfall  of  the  republic,  soon,  unless  the  people 
tear  the  seal  from  their  eyes,  and  behold  their  danger 
time  enough  to  avert  the  ruin. 

I  wish  to  inform  the  people  of  these  United  States 
what  I  had  to  contend  against,  trusting  that  the  expose 
I  shall  make,  will  be  a  caution  to  the  people  not  to  re 
pose  too  much  power  in  the  hands  of  a  single  man, 

though  he  should  be  "  the  greatest  and  the  best.'*     I  had, 
(246) 


POLITICAL   PERSECUTION.  247 

as  f  have  already  said,  Mr.  Adam  Huntsman  for  my 
competitor,  aided  by  the  popularity  of  both  Andrew 
Jackson  and  Governor  Carroll,  and  the  whole  strength 
of  the  Union  Bank  at  Jackson.  I  have  been  told  by 
good  men,  that  some  of  the  managers  of  the  bank  on  the 
day<5  of  the  election  were  heard  say,  that  they  would 
give  twenty-five  dollars  a  vote  for  votes  enough  to  elect 
Mr.  Huntsman.  This  is  a  pretty  good  price  for  a  vote, 
and  in  ordinary  times  a  round  dozen  might  be  got  for 
the  money. 

I  have  always  believed,  since  Jackson  removed  the 
deposites,  that  his  whole  object  was  to  place  the  treasury 
where  he  could  use  it  to  influence  elections ;  and  I  do 
believe  he  is  determined  to  sacrifice  every  dollar  of  the 
treasury,  to  make  the  Little  Flying  Dutchman  his  suc 
cessor.  If  this  is  not  my  creed,  I  wish  I  may  be  shot. 
For  fourteen  years  since  I  have  been  a  candidate,  I  never 
saw  such  means  used  to  defeat  any  candidate,  as  were 
put  in  practice  against  me  on  this  occasion.  There  was 
a  disciplined  band  of  judges  and  officers  to  hold  the  elec- 
tiojis  at  almost  every  poll.  Of  late  years  they  begin  to 
find  out  that  there's  an  advantage  in  this,  even  in  the 
west.  Some  officers  held  the  election,  and  at  the  same 
time  had  nearly  all  they  were  worth  bet  on  the  election. 
S  (ich  judges,  I  should  take  it,  are  like  the  handle  of  a  jug,  all 
on  one  side ;  and  I  am  told  it  doesn't  require  much  school 
ing  to  make  the  tally  list  correspond  to  a  notch  with  the 
ballot  box,  provided  they  who  make  up  the  returns  have 
enough  loose  tickets  in  their  breeches  pockets.  I  have 
no  dDubt  that  I  was  completely  rascalled  out  of  my  elec- 


248  POLITICAL   CORRUPTION. 

tion,  and  I  do  regret  that  duty  to  myself  and  to  mj 
country  compels  me  to  expose  such  villainy. 

Well  might  Governor  Poindexter  exclaim — "  Ah  !  my 
country,  what  degradation  thou  hast  fallen  into  !"  An 
drew  Jackson  was,  during  my  election  canvass,  franking 
the  extra  Globe  with  a  prospectus  in  it  to  every  post- 
office  in  this  district,  and  upon  one  occasion  he  had  my 
mileage  and  pay  as  a  member  drawn  up  and  sent  to  this 
district,  to  one  of  his  minions,  to  have  it  published  just  a 
few  days  before  the  election.  This  is  what  I  call  small 
potatoes  and  a  few  of  a  hill.  He  stated  that  I  had 
charged  mileage  for  one  thousand  miles  and  that  it  was 
but  seven  hundred  and  fifty  miles,  and  held  out  the  idea 
that  I  had  taken  pay  for  the  same  mileage  that  Mr. 
Fitzgerald  had  taken,  when  it  was  well  known  that  he 
charged  thirteen  hundred  miles  from  here  to  Washington, 
and  he  and  myself  both  live  in  the  same  county.  It  is 
somewhat  remarkable  how  this  fact  should  have  escaped 
the  keen  eye  of  "  the  Government." 

The  general's  pet,  Mr.  Grundy,  charged  for  one  thou 
sand  miles  from  Nashville  to  Washington,  and  it  was 
sanctioned  by  the  Legislature,  I  suppose  because  he  would 
huzza !  for  Jackson ;  and  because  I  think  proper  to  re 
frain  from  huzzaing  until  he -goes  out  of  office,  when  1 
shall  give  a  screamer,  that  will  be  heard  from  the  Missis 
sippi  to  the  Atlantic,  or  my  name's  not  Crockett — for 
this  reason  he  came  out  openly  to  electioneer  against  me. 
I  now  say,  that  the  oldest  man  living  never  heard  of  the 
I'resident  of  a  great  nation  to  come  down  to  open  elec 
tioneering  for  his  successor.  It  is  treating  the  nation  as 
if  it  was  the  property  of  a  single  individual,  and  he  had 


CROCKETT'S  POLITICAL  SENTIMENTS.  249 

the  right  to  bequeath  it  to  whom  he  pleased — the  same 
as  a  patch  of  land  for  which  he  had  the  patent.  It  is 
plain  to  be  seen  that  the  poor  superannuated  old  man  is 
surrounded  by  a  set  of  horse  leeches,  who  will  stick  to 
him  while  there  is  a  drop  of  blood  to  be  got,  and  their 
maws  are  so  capacious  that  they  will  never  get  full 
enough  to  drop  off.  The  Land  office,  the  Post  office,  and 
the  Treasury  itself  may  all  be  drained,  and  we  shall  still 
find  them  craving  for  more.  They  use  him  to  promote 
their  own  private  interests,  and  for  all  his  sharp  sight, 
he  remains  as  blind  as  a  dead  lion  to  the  jackals  who  are 
tearing  him  to  pieces.  In  fact,  I  do  believe  he  is  a  per 
fect  tool  in  their  hands,  ready  to  be  used  to  answer  any 
purpose  to  promote  either  their  interest  or  gratify  their 
ambition. 

I  came  within  two  hundred  and  thirty  votes  of  being 
elected,  notwithstanding  I  had  to  contend  against  "  the 
greatest  and  the  best,"  with  the  whole  power  of  the 
Treasury  against  me.  The  Little  Flying  Dutchman  will 
no  doubt  calculate  upon  having  a  true  game  cock  in  Mr. 
Huntsman,  but  if  he  doesn't  show  them  the  white  feather 
before  the  first  session  is  over,  I  agree  never  to  be  set 
down  for  a  prophet,  that's  all.  I  am  gratified  that  I  have 
spoken  the  truth  to  the  people  of  my  district  regardless 
of  consequences.  I  would  not  be  compelled  to  bow  down 
to  the  idol  for  a  seat  in  Congress  during  life.  I  have 
never  known  what  it  was  to  sacrifice  my  own  judgment 
tc  gratify  any  party,  and  I  have  no  doubt  of  the  time 
being  close  at  hand  when  I  will  be  rewarded  for  letting 
my  tongue  speak  what  my  heart  thinks.  I  have  suffered 
myself  to  be  politically  sacrificed  to  save  my  country 


250  CROCKETT   MEETS   HIS   CONSTITUENTS. 

from  ruin  and  disgrace,  and  if  I  am  never  again  elected, 
I  will  have  the  gratification  to  know  that  I  have  done  my 
duty.  Thus  much  I  say  in  relation  to  the  manner  in 
which  my  downfall  was  effected,  and  in  laying  it  before 
the  public,  "I  take  the  responsibility."  I  may  add  in 
the  words  of  the  man  in  the  play,  "  Crockett's  occupa 
tion's  gone." 

Two  weeks  and  more  have  elapsed  since  I  wrote  the 
foregoing  account  of  my  defeat,  and  I  confess  the  thorn 
still  rankles,  not  so  much  on  my  own  account  as  the  na 
tion's,  for  I  had  set  my  heart  on  following  up  the  travel 
ing  deposites  until  they  should  be  fairly  gathered  to 
their  proper  nest,  like  young  chickens,  for  I  am  aware 
of  the  vermin  that  are  on  the  constant  look  out  to  pounce 
upon  them,  like  a  cock  at  a  blackberry,  which  they  would 
have  done  long  since,  if  it  had  not  been  for  a  few  such 
men  as  Webster,  Clay,  and  myself.  It  is  my  parting 
advice,  that  this  matter  be  attended  to  without  delay,  for 
before  long  the  little  chickens  will  take  wing,  and  even 
the  powerful  wand  of  the  magician  of  Kinderhook  will 
be  unable  to  point  out  the  course  they  have  flown. 

As  my  country  no  longer  requires  my  services,  I  have 
made  up  my  mind  to  go  to  Texas.  My  life  has  been 
one  of  danger,  toil,  and  privation,  but  these  difficulties 
1  had  to  encounter  at  a  time  when  I  considered  it  noth 
ing  m  ~>re  than  right  good  sport  to  surmount  them ;  but 
now  I  start  anew  upon  my  own  hook,  and  God  only  grant 
tlat  it  may  be  strong  enough  to  support  the  weight 
that  may  be  hung  upon  it.  I -have  a  new  row  to  hoe,  a 
long  and  rough  one,  but  come  what  will  I'll  go  ahead, 

A .  ffiw  days  ago  I  went  to  a  meeting  of  my  constitu- 


WHERE    THE   PUBLIC   MONEY   GOES.  251 

ents.  My  appetite  for  politics  was  at  one  time  just 
about  as  sharp  set  as  a  saw  mill,  but  late  events  have 
piven  me  something  of  a  surfeit,  more  than  I  could  well 
digest ;  still  habit  they  say  is  second  natur,  and  so  1 
went,  and  gave  them  a  piece  of  my  mind  touching  "  the 
Government"  and  the  succession,  by  way  of  a  codicil  to 
what  I  have  often  said  before. 

I  told  them  to  keep  a  sharp  lookout  for  the  deposites, 
for  it  requires  an  eye  as  insinuating  as  a  dissecting  knife 
to  see  what  safety  there  is  in  placing  one  million  of  the 
public  funds  in  some  little  country  shaving  shop  with  no 
more  than  one  hundred  thousand  dollars  capital.  This 
bank,  we  will  just  suppose,  without  being  too  particular, 
is  in  the  neighborhood  of  some  of  the  public  lands,  where 
speculators,  who  have  every  thing  to  gain  and  nothing  to 
lose,  swarm  like  crows  about  carrion.  They  buy  the 
United  States'  land  upon  a  large  scale,  get  discounts 
from  the  aforesaid  shaving  shop,  which  are  made  upon  a 
large  scale  also  upon  the  United  States'  funds ;  they 
pay  the  whole  purchase  money  with  these  discounts, 
and  get  a  clear  title  to  the  land,  so  that  when  the 
shaving  shop  comes  to  make  a  Flemish  account  of  her 
transactions,  "the  Government"  will  discover  that  he 
has  not  only  lost  the  original  deposite,  but  a  large 
portion  of  the  public  lands  to  boot.  So  much  for 
taking  the  responsibility. 

I  toll  them  that  they  were  hurrying  along  a  broa  t 
M'A.damized  road  to  make  the  Little  Flying  Dutchman 
the  successor,  but  they  would  no  sooner  accomplish  that 
end  than  they  would  be  obliged  to  buckle  to,  and  drag 
the  Juggernaut  through  many  narrow  and  winding  and 


252  ANECDOTE. 

out-of  the--vMiy  paths,  and  hub  deep  in  the  im\e.  That 
they  reminded  me  of  the  Hibernian,  who  bet  a  glass  of 
grog  with  a  hod  carrier  that  he  could  not  carry  him  in 
his  hod  up  a  ladder  to  the  third  story  of  a  new  building, 
He  seated  himself  in  the  hod,  and  the  other  mounted  the 
ladder  with  his  load  upon  his  shoulder.  He  ascended  to 
the  second  story  pretty  steadily,  but  as  he  approached 
the  third  his  strength  failed  him,  he  began  to  totter,  and 
Pat  was  so  delighted  at  the  prospect  of  winning  his  bet, 
that  he  clapped  his  hands  and  shouted,  "By  the  powers, 
the  grog's  mine,"  and  he  made  such  a  stir  in  the  hod, 
that  I  wish  I  may  be  shot  if  he  didn't  win  it,  but  he 
broke  his  neck  in  the  fall.  And  so  I  told  my  constitu 
ents  that  they  might  possibly  gain  the  victory,  but  in 
doing  so,  they  would  ruin  their  country. 

I  told  them,  moreover,  of  my  services,  pretty  straight 
up  and  down,  for  a  man  may  be  allowed  to  speak  on 
such  subjects  when  others  are  about  to  forget  them  ;  and 
I  also  told  them  of  the  manner  in  which  I  had  been 
knocked  down  and  dragged  out,  and  that  I  did  not  con 
sider  it  a  fair  fight  any  how  they  could  fix  it.  I  put  the 
ingredients  in  the  cup  pretty  strong  I  tell  you,  and  I  con 
cluded  my  speech  by  telling  them  that  I  was  done  with 
politics  for  the  present,  and  that  they  might  all  go  to 
hell,  ai.d  I  would  go  to  Texas. 

When  I  returned  home  I  felt  a  sort  of  cast  down  at 
the  change  that  had  taken  place  in  my  fortunes,  and  sor 
row.  it  is  said,  will  make  even  an  oyster  feel  poetical.     ] 
never  tried  my  hand  at  that  sort  of  writing,  but  on  this 
particular  occasion  such  was  my  state  of  feeling,  that  I 


CROCKETT'S   PARTING   BLESSING.  253 

began  to  fancy  myself  inspired,  so  I  took  pen  in  hand, 
and  as  usual  I  went  ahead.  When  I  had  got  fairly 
through,  my  poetry  looked  as  zigzag  as  a  worm  fence  ; 
the  lines  wouldn't  tally  no  how  ;  so  I  showed  them  to 
Peleg  Longfellow,  who  has  a  first  rate  reputation  with  us 
for  that  sort  of  writing,  having  some  years  ago  made  a 
carrier's  address  for  the  Nashville  Banner,  and  Peleg 
lopped  off  some  lines,  and  stretched  out  others  ;  but  I 
wish  I  may  be  shot  if  I  don't  rather  think  he  has  made 
it  worse  than  it  was  when  I  placed  it  in  his  hands.  It 
being  my  first,  and,  no  doubt,  last  piece  of  poetry,  I  will 
print  it  in  this  place,  as  it  will  serve  to  express  my  feel 
ings  on  leaving  my  home,  my  neighbors,  and  friends  and 
country,  for  a  strange  land,  as  fully  as  I  could  in 


Farewell  to  the  mountains  whose  mazes  to  me 
Were  more  beautiful  far  than  Eden  could  be; 
No  fruit  was  forbidden,  but  Nature  had  spread 
Her  bountiful  board,  and  her  children  were  fed. 
The  hills  were  our  garners  —  our  herds  wildly  grew, 
And  Nature  was  shepherd  and  husbandman  too. 
I  felt  like  a  monarch,  yet  thought  like  a  man, 
As  1  thanked  the  Great  Giver,  and  worshiped  his  plan. 

The  home  T  forsake  where  my  offspring  arose  ; 
The  graves  I  forsake  where  my  children  repose. 
The  home  I  redeemed  from  the  savage  and  wild  : 
The  home  I  have  loved  as  a  father  his  child  ; 
The  corn  that  I  planted,  the  fields  that  I  cleared, 
The  flocks  that  I  raised,  and  the  cabin  I  reared; 
The  wife  of  rny  bosom  —  Farewell  to  ye  all  1 
In  the  land  of  the  stranger  I  rise  or  I  fall. 


254  CROCKETT  A   POET. 

Farewell  to  my  country  ! — I  fonght  for  thee  well, 

When  the  savage  rushed  forth  like  the  demons  from  hell. 

In  peace  or  in  war  I  have  stood  by  thy  side — 

My  country,  for  thee  I  have  lived — would  have  died  ! 

But  I  am  cast  off — my  career  now  is  run 

Ai.d  I  wander  abroad  like  the  prodigul  son*— 

Where  the  wild  savage  roves,  and  the  i>road  prairies  spre'id, 

The  fallen — despised — will  again  go  ahead  !* 

*  The  Colonel's  resolution  to  go  to  Texas  was  the  nataral  result  ol 
his  defeat  in  the  election  canvass.  His  experience  of  public  life,  and 
his  brilliant  triumphs  in  the  North,  had  given  him  an  appetite  for  dis 
tinction  and  applause.  Defeated  in  his  expectations  of  returning  to 
Congress,  he  now  sought  a  new  field  of  usefulness  and  renown.  The 
sequel  gave  him  additional  glory,  but  he  did  not  survive  to  witness 
the  triumph  of  the  Texans,  or  to  reap,  like  General  Houston,  the  r& 
wards  of  his  courage  ana  public  spirit. 


CHAPTER    XXV. 

Hie  Coloml  starts  for  Texas — Amusing  incident  of  the  man  fight 
ing  with  his  own  shadow — Crockett  arrives  at  Little  Rock — The 
Puppet  showman-;— Disappointment — Threats  of  Lynch  Law — TLe 
Bookseller  who  becomes  Fiddler  to  the  Puppet  show — Moral  of  a 
Puppet  show. 

IN  my  last  chapter  I  made  mention  of  my  determina 
tion  to  cut  and  quit  the  States  until  such  time  as  honest 
and  independent  men  should  again  work  their  way  to  the 
head  of  the  heap  ;  and  as  I  should  probably  have  some 
idle  time  on  hand  before  that  state  of  affairs  shall  he 
brought  about,  I  promised  to  give  the  Texians  a  helping 
hand  on  the  high  road  to  freedom.  Well,  I  was  always 
fond  of  having  my  spoon  in  a  mess  of  that  kind,  for  if 
there  is  anything  in  this  world  particularly  worth  living 
for,  it  is  freedom  ;  anything  that  would  render  death  to 
a  brave  man  particularly  pleasant,  it  is  freedom. 

I  am  now  on  my  journey,  and  have  already  tortled 
along  as  far  as  Little  Rock,  on  the  Arkansas,  about  one 
hundred  and  twenty-five  miles  from  the  mouth.  I  had 
promised  to  write  another  book,  expecting,  when  I  made 
that  promise,  to  write  about  politics,  and  use  up  u  the 
Government,"  his  successor,  the  removal  of  the  depos- 
ites,  and  so  on,  matters  and  things  that  come  as  natural 

to  me  as  bear  hunting ;  but  being  rascalled   out  of  niv 

(255) 


256  STARTS    FOR   TEXAS. 

election,  I  am  taken  all  aback,  and  I  must  now  strike 
into  a  new  path  altogether.  Still  I  will  redeem  my  pro- 
mise  and  make  a  book,  and  it  shall  be  about  my  adven 
tures  in  Texas,  hoping  that  my  friends,  Messrs.  Webster, 
and  Clay,  and  Biddle,  will  keep  a  sharp  lockout  upon 
"the  Government  "  during  my  absence — I  a-n  told  that 
every  author  of  distinction  writes  a  book  of  travels  now- 
a-days. 

My  thermometer  stood  somewhat  below  the  freezing 
point  as  I  left  my  wife  and  children  ;  still  there  was 
some  thawing  about  the  eyelids,  a  thing  that  had  not 
taken  place  since  I  first  ran  away  from  my  father's  house 
when  a  thoughtless  vagabond  boy.  I  dressed  myself  in 
a  clean  hunting  shirt,  put  on  a  new  fox-skin  cap  with  the 
tail  hanging  behind,  took  hold  of  my  rifle  Betsey,  which 
all  the  world  knows  was  presented  to  me  by  the  patri 
otic  citizens  of  Philadelphia,  as  a  compliment  for  my  un 
flinching  opposition  to  the  tyrannic  measures  of  "  the 
Government,"  and  thus  equipped,  I  started  off  with  a 
heavy  heart  for  Mill's  Point,  to  take  steamboat  down  the 
Mississippi,  and  go  ahead  in  a  new  world. 

While  walking  along,  and  thinking  whether  it  was  al 
together  the  right  grit  to  leave  my  poor  country  at  a 
time  she  most  needed  my  services,  I  came  to  a  clearing, 
and  I  was  slowly  rising  a  slope,  when  I  was  startled  by 
"loud,  profane,  and  boisterous  voices,  (as  loud  and  profane 
as  have  been  heard  in  the  White  House  of  late  years,) 
which  seemed  to  proceed  from  a  thick  covert  of  under 
growth,  about  two  hundred  yards  in  advance  of  me,  and 
about  one  hundred  to  the  right  of  my  road. 

"  You  kin,  kin  you  ?" 


GREAT   ALARM.  25T 

"  ¥33, 1  kin,  ani  am  able  to  do  it !  Boo-oo-oo  ! — 0  ! 
wake  snakes,  and  walk  your  chalks  !  Brimstone  and 
— —  fire!  Don't  hold  me,  Nick  Stoval !  The  fight's 

made  up,  and  let's  go  at  it.  my  soul  if  I  don't 

jump  down  his  throat  and  gallop  every  chitterling  out 
of  him,  before  you  can  say  'quit !'  ' 

"  Now,  Nick,  don't  hold  him  !  Jist  let  the  wild  cat 
come,  and  I'll  tame  him.  Ned  will  see  me  a  fair  fight — 
won't  you,  Ned?" 

"  Oh !  yes,  I'll  see  you  a  fair  fight  *  blast  my  old 
shoes  if  I  don't." 

"  That's  sufficient,  as  Tom  Haynes  said,  when  he  saw 
the  elephant.  Now  let  him  come." 

Thus  they  went  on,  with  countless  oaths  interspersed, 
which  I  dare  not  even  hint  at,  and  with  much  that  I 
could  not  distinctly  hear. 

In  mercy's  name  !  thought  I,  what  a  band  of  ruffians 
is  at  work  here !  I  quickened  my  gait,  and  had  come 
nearly  opposite  to  the  thick  grove  whence  the  noise  pro 
ceeded,  when  my  eye  caught  indistinctly,  through  the 
foliage  of  the  dwarf  oaks  and  hickories  that  intervened, 
glimpses  of  a  man  or  men,  who  seemed  to  be  on  a  vio 
lent  struggle  ;  and  I  could  occasionally  catch  those  deep- 
drawn,  emphatic  oaths,  which  men  in  conflict  utter,  when 
they  deal  blows.  I  hurried  to  the  spot,  but  before  I 
reached  it,  I  saw  the  combatants  come  to  the  ground, 
and  after  a  short  struggle,  I  saw  the  uppermost  one  (for 
I  could  not  see  the  other)  make  a  heavy  plunge  with  both 
his  thumbs,  and  at  the  same  instant  I  heard  a  cry  in  the 
accent  of  keenest  torture,  "Enough  !  my  eye  is  out!" 

I  stood  completely  horror-struck  for  a  moment.  The 
17 


258  GREAT   FIGHT, 

accomplices  in  the  brutal  deed  had  all  fled  at  my  ap 
proach  ;  at  least  I  supposed  so,  for  they  were  not  to  be 
seen. 

"  Now,  blast  your  corn-shucking  soul,"  said  the  "victor, 
a  lad  of  about  eighteen,  as  he  rose  from  the  ground, 
"  come  cuttin'  your  shines  'bout  me  agin,  next  time  I 
come  to  the  Court  House,  will  you?  Get  your  owl-eye 
in  agin,  if  you  can." 

At  this  moment  he  saw  me  for  the  first  time.  He 
looked  as  though  he  couldn't  help  it,  and  was  for  making 
himself  particularly  scarce,  when  I  called  to  him,  "  Come 
back,  you  brute,  and  assist  me  in  relieving  the  poor 
crittur  you  have  ruined  for  ever." 

Upon  this  rough  salutation,  he  sort  of  collected  him 
self,  and  with  a  taunting  curl  of  the  nose  he  replied, 
"  You  needn't  kick  before  you're  spurr'd.  There  ain't 
nobody  there,  nor  hain't  been,  nother.  I  was  jist  a 
seein'  how  I  could  a  fout."  So  saying,  he  bounded  to 
his  plough,  which  stood  in  the  corner  of  the  fence  about 
fifty  yards  from  the  battle  ground. 

Now  would  any  man  in  his  senses  believe  that  a 
rational  being  could  make  such  a  darned  fool  of  himself? 
but  I  wish  I  may  be  shot,  if  his  report  was  not  as  true 
as  the  last  post-office  report,  every  word,  and  a  little 
more  satisfactory.  All  that  I  had  heard  and  seen  was 
nothing  more  nor  less  than  what  is  called  a  rehearsal 
of  a  knock-down  and  drag-out  fight,  in  which  the  young 
man  had  played  all  the  parts,  for  his  own  amusement, 
and  by  way  of  keeping  his  hand  in.  I  went  to  the 
grounl  from  which  he  had  risen,  and  there  were  the 
orints  of  his  two  thumbs,  plunged  up  to  the  balls  i»  '•he 


ARRIVES   AT    LITTLE    ROCK.  259 

mellow  earth,  about  the  distance  of  a  man's  eyes  ipart, 
and  the  ground  around  was  broken  up,  as  if  two  stags 
had  been  engaged  upon  it. 

As  I  resumed  my  journey  I  laughed  outright  at  this 
adventure,  for  it  reminded  me  of  Andrew  Jackson's 
attack  upon  the  United  States  Bank.  He  had  magnified 
it  into  a  monster,  and  then  began  to  rip  and  tear,  and 
swear  and  gouge,  until  he  thought  he  had  the  monster 
on  its  back ;  and  when  the  fight  was  over,  and  he  got 
up  to  look  about  for  his  enemy,  he  could  find  none  for 
the  soul  of  him,  for  his  enemy  was  altogether  in  his 
heated  imagination.  These  fighting  characters  are  never 
at  peace,  unless  they  have  something  to  quarrel  with, 
and  rather  than  have  no  fight  at  all,  they  will  trample 
on  their  own  shadows. 

The  day  I  arrived  at  Little  Rock,  I  no  sooner  quit' 
the  steamer  than  I  streaked  it  straight  ahead  for  the 
principal  tavern,  which  is  nothing  to  boast  of,  no  how, 
unless  a  man  happens  to  be  like  the  member  of  Congress 
from  the  south,  who  was  converted  to  Jacksonism,  and 
then  made  a  speech  as  long  as  the  longitude  about  his 
political  honesty.  Some  men,  it  seems,  take  a  pride  in 
saying  a  great  deal  about  nothing — like  windmills,  their 
tongues  must  be  going  whether  they  have  any  grist  to 
grind  or  not.  This  is  all  very  well  in  Congress,  where 
every  member  is  expected  to  make  a  speech,  to  let  his 
constituents  know  that  some  things  can  be  done  as  well 
as  others :  but  I  set  it  down  as  being  rather  an  imposi 
tion  upon  good  nature  to  be  compelled  to  listen,  without 
receiving  the  consideration  of  eight  dollars  per  day,  be 
sides  mileage,  as  we  do  in  Congress.  Many  member* 


PUPPET    SHOW. 

will  io  notldng  else  for  their  pay  but  listen,  day  in  anil 
day  out,  and  I  wish  I  may  be  shot,  if  they  do  not  earn 
every  penny  of  it,  provided  they  don't  sleep,  or  Benton 
or  little  Isaac  Hill  will  spin  their  yarns  but  once  in  a 
week.  No  man  who  has  not  tried  it  can  imagine  what 
dreadful  hard  work  it  is  to  listen.  Splitting  gum  logs 
\n  the  dog  days  is  child's  play  to  it.  I've  tried  both, 
and  give  the  preference  to  the  gum  logs. 

Well,  as  I  said,  I  made  straight  for  the  tavern,  and 
as  I  drew  nigh,  I  saw  a  considerable  crowd  assembled 
before  the  door.  So,  thought  I,  they  have  heard  that 
Colonel  Crockett  intended  to  pay  a  visit  to  their  settle 
ment,  and  they  have  already  got  together  to  receive 
him  in  due  form.  I  confess  I  felt  a  little  elated  at  the 
idea,  and  commenced  ransacking  the  lumber  room  of 
my  brain,  to  find  some  one  of  my  speeches  that  I  might 
furbish  up  for  the  occasion ;  and  then  I  shouldered  my 
Betsey,  straightened  myself,  and  walked  up  to  the  door, 
charged  to  the  muzzle  and  ready  to  let  fly. 

But,  strange  as  it  may  seem,  no  one  took  any  more 
notice  of  me,  than  if  I  had  been  Martin  Van  Buren,  or 
Dick  Johnson,  the  celebrated  wool  grower.  This  took 
me  somewhat  aback,  and  I  inquired  what  was  the  mean 
ing  of  the  gathering ;  and  I  learnt  that  a  traveling 
showman  had  just  arrived,  and  was  about  to  exhibit  for 
the  first  time  the  wonderful  feats  of  Harlequin,  and 
Punch,  and  Judy,  to  the  impatient  natives.  It  was 
drawing  towards  nightfall,  and  expectation  was  on  tip 
toe  :  the  children  were  clinging  to  their  mothers'  aprons, 
with  their  chubby  faces  dimpled  with  delight,  and  asking, 
"  What  is  it  like?  When  will  it  begin?"  and  similar 


THREAT    OF   LYNCHING  261 

questions,  while  the  women,  as  all  good  wives  are  in 
duty  bound  to  do,  appealed  to  their  husbands  for  infor 
mation  ;  but  the  call  for  information  was  responded  to 
in  this  instance,  as  is  sometimes  the  case  in  Congress ; 
their  husbands  understood  the  matter  about  as  well  as 
"the  government"  did  the  post-office  accounts. 

The  showman  at  length  made  his  appearance,  with  a 
countenance  as  wo-begone  as  that  of  "the  government" 
when  he  found  his  batch  of  dirty  nominations  rejected 
by  the  Senate,  and  mentioned  the  impossibility  that  any 
performance  should  take  place  that  evening,  as  the  lame 
fiddler"  had  overcharged  his  head,  and  having  but  one 
leg  at  best,  it  did  not  require  much  to  destroy  his  equi 
librium.  And,  as  all  the  world  knows,  a  puppet  show 
without  a  fiddle  is  like  roast  pork  and  no  apple  sauce. 
This  piece  of  intelligence  was  received  with  a  general 
murmur  of  dissatisfaction  ;  and  such  was  the  indignation 
of  his  majesty,  the  sovereign  people,  at  being  thwarted 
in  his  rational  amusements,  that  according  to  the  estab 
lished  custom  in  such  cases  made  and  provided,  there 
were  some  symptoms  of  a  disposition  to  kick  up  a  row, 
break  the  show,  and  finish  the  amusements  of  the  day 
by  putting  Lynch's  law  in  practice  upon  the  poor  show 
man.  There  is  nothing  like  upholding  the  dignity  of 
the  people,  and  so  Lieut.  Randolph  thought,  when  with 
his  cowardly  and  sacrilegious  hand  he  dared  to  profane 
the  anointed  nose  of  "the  government,"  and  bring  the 
whole  nation  into  contempt.  If  I  had  been  present, 
may  disgrace  follow  my  career  in  Texas,  if  I  wouldn't 
have  become  a  whole  hog  Jackson  man  upon  the  spot, 
for  the  time  being,  for  the  nose  of  "the  government'' 


262  THE    BOOKSELLER. 

should  be  held  more  sacred  than  any  other  member,  that 
.  it  may  be  kept  in  good  order  to  smell  out  all  the  corrup 
tion  that  is  going  forward — not  a  very  pleasant  office, 
and  by  no  means  a  sinecure. 

The  indignant  people,  as  I  have  already  said,  were 
about  to  exercise  their  reserved  rights  upon  the  unlucky 
showman,  and  Punch  and  Judy  too,  when,  as  good  for 
tune  would  have  it,  an  old  gentleman  drove  up  to  the 
tavern  door  in  a  sulky,  with  a  box  of  books  and  pam 
phlets  of  his  own  composition — (for  he  was  an  author, 
like  myself) — thus  being  able  to  vouch  for  the  moral 
tendency  of  every  page  he  disposed  of.  Very  few  book 
sellers  can  do  the  same,  I  take  it.  His  linen  and  flan 
nels,  which  he  had  washed  in  the  brooks  by  the  wayside, 
were  hanging  over  the  back  of  the  crazy  vehicle  to  dry, 
while  his  own  snuffy  countenance  had  long  bid  defiance 
to  sun,  wind,  and  water,  to  bleach  it. 

His  jaded  beast  stopped  instinctively  upon  seeing  a 
crowd,  while  the  old  man  remained  seated  for  some  mo 
ments  before  he  could  recall  his  thoughts  from  the  world 
of  imagination,  where  they  were  gleaning  for  the  benefit 
of  mankind.  He  looked,  it  must  be  confessed,  more 
like  a  lunatic  than  a  moral  lecturer ;  but  being  conscious 
of  his  own  rectitude,  he  could  not  conceive  how  his  out 
ward  Adam  could  make  him  ridiculous  in  the  eyes  of 
another ;  but  a  fair  outside  is  everything  to  the  world 
The  tulip  flower  is  highly  prized,  although  indebted  foi 
its  beauty  to  the  corruption  engendered  at  the  root ;  and 
BO  it  is  with  man. 

We  occasionally  meet  with  one  possessing  sufficient 
philosophy  to  look  upon  life  as  a  pilgrimage,  and  not  aa 


THE    BOOKSELLER.  265 

ft  mere  lound  of  pleasure  : — who,  treating  this  world  as 
a  place  of  probation,  is  ready  to  encounter  suffering, 
and  not  expecting  the  sunshine  of  prosperity,  escapes 
being  overclouded  by  disappointment.  Such  is  the  cha 
racter  of  the  old  preacher,  whose  ridiculous  appearance 
in  the  eyes  of  the  thoughtless  and  ignorant  is  only  ex 
ceeded  by  the  respect  and  veneration  of  those  who  are 
capable  of  estimating  his  real  worth.  I  learnt  that  he 
was  educated  for  the  church,  but  not  being  able  to 
obtain  a  living,  he  looked  upon  the  whole  earth  as  his 
altar,  and  all  mankind  as  his  flock.  He  was  penniless, 
and  therefore  had  no  predilection  for  this  or  that  section 
of  the  globe,  for  wherever  he  might  be,  his  journey  of 
probation  still  continued,  and  in  every  spot  he  found 
that  human  nature  was  the  same.  His  life  was  literally 
that  of  a  pilgrim.  He  was  an  isolated  being,  though  his 
heart  overflowed  with  the  milk  of  human  kindness ;  for 
being  indiscriminate  in  his  affection,  very  few  valued  it. 
He  who  commences  the  world  with  a  general  love  for 
mankind,  and  suffers  his  feelings  to  dictate  to  his  reason, 
runs  a  great  hazard  of  reaping  a  plentiful  harvest  of 
ingratitude,  and  of  closing  a  tedious  existence  in  misan 
thropy.  But  it  was  not  so  with  the  aged  preacher. 

Being  unable  to  earn  his  bread  as  tin  itinerant  lec 
turer, — for  in  those  cases  it  is  mostly  poor  preach  and 
worse  pay — he  turned  author  and  wrote  histories  which 
contained  but  little  information,  and  sermons  which,  like 
many  others,  had  nothing  to  boast  of,  beyond  being  strictly 
orthodox.  He  succeeded  in  obtaining  a  sulky,  and  a 
horse  to  drag  it,  by  a  plea  of  mercy,  which  deprived  the 
hounds  of  their  food,  and  with  these  he  traveled  over  tin 


264        DISINTERESTED  BENEVOLENCE. 

western  states,  to  dispose  of  the  product  of  his  brain ; 
and  when  poverty  was  deprived  of  the  benefit  of  his  la 
bor,  in  the  benevolence  of  his  heart  he  would  deliver  a 
moral  lecture,  which  had  the  usual  weight  of  homilies  on 
this  subject.  A  lecture  is  the  cheapest  thing  that  a  man 
can  bestow  in  charity,  and  many  of  our  universal  philan 
thropists  have  made  the  discovery. 

The  landlord  now  made  his  appearance,  and  gave  a 
hearty  welcome  to  the  reverend  traveler,  and  shaking 
him  by  the  hand,  added,  that  he  never  came  more  oppor 
tunely  in  all  his  life. 

"  Opportunely  ! "  exclaimed  the  philosopher. 

"Yes,"  rejoined  the  other;  "you  have  a  heart  and 
head  that  labor  for  the  benefit  of  us  poor  mortals." 

"  Oh !  true,  an  excellent  market  for  my  pamphlets," 
replied  the  other,  at  the  same  time  beginning  to  open  the 
trunk  that  lay  before  him. 

"You  misunderstand  me,"  added  the  landlord.  "A 
poor  showman  with  a  sick  wife  and  five  children  has  ar 
rived  from  New  Orleans " 

"  I  will  sell  my  pamphlets  to  relieve  their  wants,  and 
endeavor  to  teach  them  resignation." 

"  He  exhibits  to-night  in  my  large  room :  you  know 
the  room,  sir — I  let  him  have  it  gratis." 

"  Y^ou  are  an  honest  fellow.  I  will  witness  his  show, 
and  add  my  mite  to  his  assistance." 

"But,"  replied  the  innkeeper,  "the  lame  fiddler  is 
fond  of  the  bottle,  and  is  now  snoring  in  the  hayloft." 

"Degrading  vice!"  exclaimed  the  old  man,  and  tak 
ing  "God's  Revenge  against  Drunkenness"  from  the 
trunk,  and  standing  erect  in  the  sulky,  he  commenced 


FIDDLING.  265 

reading  to  his  astonished  audience.  The  innkeeper  inter 
rupted  him  by  observing  that  the  homily  would  not  fill 
the  empty  purse  of  the  poor  showman,  and  unless  a  fid 
dler  could  be  obtained,  he  must  depend  on  charity,  or  go 
supperless  to  bed.  And  moreover,  the  people,  irritated 
at  their  disappointment,  had  threatened  to  tear  the  ;*how 
to  pieces. 

"  But  what's  to  be  done  ?  "  demanded  the  parson. 

"Your  reverence  shakes  an  excellent  bow,"  added  the 
innkeeper,  in  an  insinuating  tone. 

"I!"  exclaimed  the  parson;  " I  fiddle  for  a  puppet 
show!" 

"  Not  for  the  puppet  show,  but  for  the  sick  wife  and 
five  hungry  children." 

A  tear  started  into  the  eyes  of  the  old  man,  as  he 
added  in  an  under  tone,  "  If  I  could  be  concealed  from 
the  audience " 

"Nothing  easier,"  cried  the  other;  "we  will  place 
you  behind  the  scenes,  and  no  one  will  ever  dream  that 
you  fiddled  at  a  puppet  show." 

The  matter  being  thus  settled,  they  entered  the  house, 
and  shortly  afterward  the  sound  of  a  fiddle  squeaking 
like  a  giggling  girl,  tickled  into  ecstasies,  restored  mirth 
aal  good  humor  to  the  disappointed  assemblage,  who 
rushed  in,  helter-skelter,  to  enjoy  the  exhibition. 

All  being  seated,  and  silence  restored,  they  waited  in 
breathless  expectation  for  the  rising  of  the  curtain.  At 
length  Harlequin  made  his  appearance,  and  perforated 
astonishing  feats  of  activity  on  the  slack  rope ;  turfira 
Bomersets  backward  and  forward,  first  on  this  side,  ai.  j 
then  on  that,  with  as  much  ease  as  if  he  had  been  a  poli 


266  MORAL   OF  A  PUPPET   SHOW. 

tician  all  his  life, — the  parson  sawing  vigorously  on  his 
fiddle  all  the  time.  Punch  followed,  and  set  the  audience 
in  H  roar  with  his  antic  tricks  and  jests  ;  but  when  Judy 
entered  with  her  broomstick  the  burst  of  applause  was 
as  great  as  ever  I  heard  bestowed  upon  one  of  Benton's 
Blang-whang  speeches  in  Congress,  and  I  rather  think 
quite  as  well  merited. 

As  the  plot  thickened,  the  music  of  the  parson  became 
more  animated  ;  but  unluckily  in  the  warmth  of  his  zeal 
to  do  justice  to  his  station,  his  elbow  touched  the  side 
scene,  which  fell  to  the  floor,  and  exposed  him,  working 
away  in  all  the  ecstasies  of  little  Isaac  Hill,  while  read 
ing  one  of  his  long  orations  about  things  in  general  to 
empty  benches.  No  ways  disconcerted  by  the  accident, 
the  parson  seized  upon  it  as  a  fine  opportunity  of  con 
veying  a  lesson  to  those  around  him,  at  the  same  time 
that  he  might  benefit  a  fellow  mortal.  He  immediately 
mounted  the  chair  upon  which  he  was  seated,  and  ad 
dressed  the  audience  to  the  following  effect : 

"  Many  of  you  have  come  here  for  amusement,  and 
others  no  doubt  to  assist  the  poor  man,  who  is  thus  strug 
gling  to  obtain  a  subsistence  for  his  sick  wife  and  chil 
dren.  Lo  !  the  moral  of  a  puppet  show !  But  is  this 
all  ?  Has  he  not  rendered  unto  you  your  money's  worth  ? 
This  is  not  charity.  If  you  are  charitably  inclined,  here 
is  an  object  fully  deserving  of  it." 

He  preached  upon  this  text  for  full  half  an  hour,  and 
concluded  with  taking  his  hat  to  collect  assistance  from 
Kis  hearers  for  the  friendless  showman  and  his  family. 

The  next  morning,  when  his  sulky  was  brought  to  the 


MORAL   OF  A   PUPPET  SHOW.  267 

door,  the  showman  and  his  wife  came  out  to  thank  their 
benefactor.  The  old  man  placed  his  trunk  of  pampnlets 
before  him,  and  proceeded  on  his  pilgrimage,  the  little 
children  following  him  through  the  village  with  bursts 
of  gratitude. 


CHAPTER    XXVi. 

Crocke  t  offered  a  public  dinner  by  the  citizens  of  Little  Rock- 
Thinks  ho  will  decline — The  landlord  shows  him  his  larder — The 
Colonel  accepts — Rifle  shooting — Cute  trick — The  Dinner — The 
Colonel's  speech — He  tells  the  Little  Rock  politicians  how  to  get 
office — A  jolly  evening. 

THE  public  mind  having  been  quieted  by  the  exhibi 
tion  of  the  poppet  show,  and  allowed  to  return  to  its 
usual  channel,  it  was  not  long  before  the  good  people  of 
Little  Rock  began  to  inquire  what  distinguished  stranger 
had  come  among  them ;  and  learning  that  it  was  neither 
more  nor  less  than  the  identical  Colonel  Crockett,  the 
champion  of  the  fugitive  deposites,  than  straight  they 
went  ahead  at  getting  up  another  tempest  in  a  teapot ; 
and  I  wish  I  may  be  shot,  if  I  wasn't  looked  upon  as 
almost  as  great  a  sight  as  Punch  and  Judy. 

Nothing  would  answer,  but  I  must  accept  of  an  invita 
tion  to  a  public  dinner.  Now  as  public  dinners  have 
become  so  common,  that  it  is  enough  to  take  away  the 
appetite  of  any  man,  who  has  a  proper  sense  of  his 
own  importance,  to  sit  down  and  fjlay  his  part  in  the 
humbug  business,  I  had  made  up  my  mind  to  write  a  letter 
declining  the  honour,  expressing  my  regret,  and  winding 
up  with  a  flourish  of  trumpets  about  the  patriotism  of  the 
citizens  of  Little  Rock,  and  all  that  sort  of  thing;  when 
(268) 


THE   LARDER.  2t>9 

the  landlord  came  in,  and  says  he,  "  Colonel,  just  oblige 
me  by  stepping  into  the  back  yard  a  moment." 

I  followed  the  landlord  in  silence,  twisting  and  turning 
jver  in  my  brain,  all  the  while,  what  I  should  say  in  my 
!etter  to  the  patriotic  citizens  of  Little  Rock,  who  were 
bent  on  eating  a  dinner  for  the  good  of  their  country ; 
when  he  conducted  me  to  a  shed  in  the  yard,  where  1 
beheld,  hanging  up,  a  fine  fat  cub  bear,  several  haunches 
of  venison,  a  wild  turkey  as  big  as  a  young  ostrich,  and 
small  game  too  tedious  to  mention.  "  Well,  Colonel, 
what  do  you  think  of  my  larder?"  says  he.  "Fine!" 
says  I.  "Let  us  liquor."  We  walked  back  to  the  bar. 
I  took  a  horn,  and  without  loss  of  time  I  wrote  to  the 
committee,  that  I  accepted  of  the  invitation  to  a  public 
dinner  with  pleasure, — that  I  would  be  always  found 
ready  to  serve  my  country,  either  by  eating  or  fasting ; 
and  that  the  honor  the  patriotic  citizens  of  Little  Rock 
had  conferred  upon  me,  rendered  it  the  proudest  moment 
of  my  eventful  life.  The  chairman  of  the  committee 
was  standing  by  while  I  wrote  the  letter,  which  I  handed 
to  him ;  and  so  this  important  business  was  soon  settled. 

As  there  was  considerable  time  to  be  killed,  or  got  rid 
of  in  some  way,  before  the  dinner  could  be  cooked,  it 
was  proposed  that  we  should  go  beyond  the  village,  and 
shoot  at  a  mark,  for  they  had  heard  I  was  a  first-rate 
shot,  and  they  wanted  to  see  for  themselves,  whether 
fame  had  not  blown  her  trumpet  a  little  too  strong  in 
my  favor :  for  since  she  had  represented  "  the  Govern 
ment"  as  being  a  first-rate  statesman,  and  Colonel  Ben- 
ton  as  a  first  rate  orator,  they  could  not  receive  such  re« 


270  RIFLE   SHOOTING. 

ports  without  proper  allowance,  as  Congress  thought  of 
the  Post  Office  report. 

Well,  I  shouldered  my  Betsey,  and  she  is  just  ahout  as 
beautiful  a  piece  as  ever  came  out  of  Philadelphia,  and  I 
went  out  to  the  shooting  ground,  followed  by  all  the 
leading  men  in. Little  Rock,  and  that  was  a  clear  major 
ity  of  the  town,  for  it  is  remarkable,  that  there  are  al 
ways  more  leading  men  in  small  villages  than  there  are 
followers. 

I  was  in  prime  order.  My  eye  was  as  keen  as  a  liz 
ard,  and  my  nerves  were  as  steady  and  unshaken  as  the 
political  course  of  Henry  Clay ;  so  at  it  we  went,  the 
distance,  one  hundred  yards.  The  principal  marksmen, 
and  such  as  had  never  been  beat,  led  the  way,  and  there 
was  some  pretty  fair  shooting,  I  tell  you.  At  length  it 
came  to  my  turn.  I  squared  myself,  raised  my  beautiful 
Betsey  to  my  shoulder,  took  deliberate  aim,  and  smack 
I  sent  the  bullet  right  into  the  centre  of  the  bull's  eye. 
"  There's  no  mistake  in  Betsey,"  said  I,  in  a  sort  of  care 
less  way,  as  they  were  rJi  looking  at  the  target,  sort  of 
amazed,  and  not  at  all  over  pleased. 

"That's  a  chance  shot,  Colonel,"  said  one  who  had 
the  reputation  of  being  the  best  marksman  in  those  parts. 

"Not  as  much  chance  as  there  was,"  said  I,  "  when 
Dick  Johnson  took  his  darkie  for  better  for  worse.  I 
can  do  it  five  times  out  of  six  any  day  in  the  week." 
This  I  said  in  as  confident  a  tone  as  "  the  Government" 
did,  when  he  protested  that  he  forgave  Colonel  Benton 
for  shooting  him,  and  he  was  now  the  best  friend  he  had 
in  the  world.  I  knew  it  was  not  altogether  as  correct 
as  it  might  be,  but  when  a  man  sets  about  going  the  big 


CUTE   TRICK.  271 

figure,  halfway  measures  won't  answer  no  how  ;  and  "the 
greatest  and  the  best"  had  set  me  the  example,  that 
swaggering  will  answer  a  good  purpose  at  times. 
rr  They  now  proposed  that  we  should  have  a  second 
trial  ;  but  knowing  that  I  had  nothing  to  gain  and  every 
thing  to  lose,  I  was  for  backing  out  and  fighting  shy ; 
but  there  was  no  let-off,  for  the  cock  of  the  village, 
though  whipped,  determined  not  to  stay  whipped  ;  so  tc 
it  again  we  went.  They  were  now  put  upon  their  mettle, 
and  they  fired  much  better  than  the  first  time  ;  and  it 
was  what  might  be  called  pretty  sharp  shooting.  When 
it  came  to  my  turn,  I  squared  myself,  and  turning  to  the 
prime  shot,  I  gave  him  a  knowing  nod,  by  way  of  show 
ing  my  confidence ;  and  says  I,  "  Look  out  for  the  bull's 
eye,  stranger."  I  blazed  away,  and  I  wish  I  may  be 
shot  if  I  didn't  miss  the  target.  They  examined  it  all 
over,  and  could  find  neither  hair  nor  hide  of  my  bullet, 
and  pronounced  it  a  dead  miss  ;  when  says  I,  "  Stand 
aside  and  let  me  look,  and  I  warrant  you  I  get  on  the 
right  trail  of  the  critter."  They  stood  aside,  and  I  ex 
amined  the  bull's  eye  pretty  particular,  and  at  length 
cried  out,  "Here  it  is  ;  there  is  no  snakes  if  it  ha'n't  fol 
lowed  the  very  track  of  the  other."  They  said  it  was 
utterly  impossible,  but  I  insisted  on  their  searching  the 
hole,  and  I  agreed  to  be  stuck  up  as  a  mark  myself, 
if  they  did  n^t  find  two  bullets  there.  They  searched 
f  )r  my  satisfaction,  and  sure  enough  it  all  come  out  just 
as  1  had  told  them;  for  I  had  picked  up  a  bullet  that 
had  been  fired,  and  stuck  it  deep  into  the  hole,  without 
any  one  perceiving  it.  They  were  all  perfectly  satisfied, 
that  fame  had  not  made  too  great  a  flourish  cf  trumpets 


272  THE   DINNER. 

when  speaking  of  me  as  a  marksman ;  and  they  all  said 
they  had  enough  of  shooting  for  that  day,  and  they 
moved,  that  we  adjourn  to  the  tavern  and  liquor. 

We  had  scarcely  taken  drinks  round  before  the  land 
lord  announced  that  dinner  was  ready,  and  I  was  es 
corted  into  tho  dining  room  by  the  committee,  to  the 
tune  of  "  See  the  conquering  hero  comes,"  played  upon 
a  drum,  which  had  been  beaten  until  it  got  a  fit  of  the 
sullens,  and  refused  to  send  forth  any  sound ;  and  it  was 
accompanied  by  the  wheazing  of  a  fife  that  was  sadly 
troubled  with  a  spell  of  the  asthma.  I  was  escorted  into 
the  dining  room,  I  say,  somewhat  after  the  same  fashion  that 
"  the  Government"  was  escorted  into  the  different  cities 
when  he  made  his  northern  tour  ;  the  only  difference  was, 
that  I  had  no  sycophants  about  me,  but  true  hearted 
hospitable  friends,  for  it  was  pretty  well  known  that  I 
had,  for  the  present,  abandoned  all  intention  of  running 
for  the  Presidency  against  the  Little  Flying  Dutchman. 

The  dinner  was  first  rate.  The  bear  meat,  the  venison, 
and  wild  turkey  would  have  tempted  a  man  who  had 
given  over  the  business  of  eating  altogether ;  and  every 
thing  was  cooked  to  the  notch  precisely.  The  enter 
prising  landlord  did  himself  immortal  honor  on  this  mo 
mentous  occasion  ;  and  the  committee,  thinking  that  he 
merited  public  thanks  for  his  patriotic  services,  handed 
his  name  to  posterity  to  look  at  in  the  lasting  columns 
of  the  Little  Rock  Gazette ;  and  when  our  children's 
children  behold  it.  they  will  think  of  the  pure  patriots  who 
sat  down  in  good  fellowship  to  feast  on  the  bear  meat  and 
venison  ;  and  the  enthusiasm  the  occasion  is  calculated  to 
awaken  will  induce  them  to  bless  the  patriot  who,  in  a 


DINNER    SPEECH.  273 

cause  so  glorious,  spared  no  pains  in  cooking  the  dinner 
and  serving  it  in  a  becoming  manner. ,  And  this  is  fame ! 

The  fragments  of  the  meats  being  cleared  off,  we  went 
through  the  customary  evolution  of  drinking  thirteen 
regular  toasts,  after  every  ono  of  which  our  drum  with 
the  loose  skin  grumbled  like  an  old  horse  with  an  empty 
stomach ;  and  our  asthmatic  fife  squeaked,  like  a  stuck 
pig,  a  spirit-stirring  tune,  which  we  put  off  christening 
until  we  should  come  to  prepare  our  proceedings  for  pos 
terity.  The  fife  appeared  to  have  but  one  tune  in  it ; 
possibly  it  might  have  had  more,  but  the  poor  fifer,  with 
all  his  puffing  and  blowing,  his  too-too-tooing,  and  shak 
ing  his  head  and  elbow,  could  not,  for  the  body  and  soul 
of  him,  get  more  than  one  out  of  it.  If  the  fife  had  had 
an  extra  tune  to  its  name,  sartin  it  wouldn't  have  been  quite 
so  hide  bound  on  such  an  occasion,  but  have  let  us  have 
it,  good,  bad,  or  indifferent.  We  warn't  particular  by  no 
means. 

Having  gone  through  with  the  regular  toasts,  the 
president  of  the  day  drank,  "  Our  distinguished  guest, 
Col.  Crockett,"  which  called  forth  a  prodigious  clatter 
ing  all  around  the  table,  and  I  soon  saw  that  nothing 
would  do,  but  I  must  get  up  and  make  them  a  speech. 
I  had  no  sooner  elongated  my  outward  Adam,  than  they 
at  it  again,  with  renewed  vigor,  which  made  me  sort  of 
feel  that  I  was  still  somebody,  though  no  longer  a  mem 
ber  of  Congress. 

In  my  speech  I  went  over  the  whole  history  of  the 

present  administration ;   took  a  long   shot   at  the  flying 

deposites,  and  gave  an  outline,  a  sort  of  charcoal  sketch, 

of  the  political  life  of  "the  Government's"  heir-presump- 

18 


274  HOW   TO   GET   OFFICE. 

tive.  I  also  let  them  know  how  I  had  been  rascalled 
out  of  my  election,  because  I  refused  to  bow  down  to  the 
idol ;  and  as  I  saw  a  number  of  young  politicians  around 
the  table,  I  told  them,  that  I  would  lay  down  a  few 
rules  for  their  guidance,  which,  if  properly  attended  to, 
could  not  fail  to  lead  them  on  the  highway  to  distinction 
and  public  honor.  I  told  them,  that  I  was  an  old  hand 
at  the  business,  and  as  I  was  about  to  retire  for  a  time, 
I  would  give  them  a  little  instruction  gratis,  for  I  was 
up  to  all  the  cricks  of  the  trade,  though  I  had  practiced 
but  few. 

"Attend  all  public  meetings,"  says  I,  "and  get  some 
friends  to  move  that  you  take  the  chair  ;  if  you  fail  in 
this  attempt,  make  a  push  to  be  appointed  secretary ; 
the  proceedings  of  course  will  be  published,  and  your 
name  is  introduced  to  the  public.  But  should  you  fail 
in  botL  undertakings,  get  two  or  thftee  acquaintances, 
over  &  bottle  of  whiskey,  to  pass  some  resolutions,  no 
matter  on  what  subject ;  publish  them  even  if  you  pay 
the  printer — it  will  answer  the  purpose  of  breaking  the 
ice,  which  is  the  main  point  in  these  matters.  Intrigue 
until  you  are  elected  an  officer  of  the  militia ;  this  is  the 
second  step  towards  promotion,  and  can  be  accomplished 
with  ease,  as  I  know  an  instance  of  an  election  being  ad 
vertised,  and  no  one  attending,  the  innkeeper  at  whose 
house  it  was  to  be  held,  having  a  military  turn,  elected 
himself  colonel  of  his  regiment."  Says  I,  "You  may 
not  accomplish  your  ends  with  as  little  difficulty,  but  do 
not  be  discouraged — Rome  wasn't  built  in  a  day. 

"  If  your  ambition  or  circumstances  compel  you  to 
serve  your  country,  and  earn  three  dollars  a  day,  by  be- 


HOW   TO   GET   OFFICE.  275 

coming  a  member  of  the  legislature,  you  must  first  pub 
licly  avow  that  the  constitution  of  the  state  is  a  shackl« 
upon  free  and  liberal  legislation  ;  and  is,  therefore,  of  as 
little  use  in  the  present  enlightened  age,  as  an  old 
almanac  of  the  year  in  which  the  instrument  was  framed 
There  is  policy  in  this  measure,  for  by  making  the 
constitution  a  mere  dead  letter,  your  headlong  proceed 
ings  will  be  attributed  to  a  bold  and  unshackled  mind  , 
whereas,  it  might  otherwise  be  thought  they  arose  from 
sheer  mulish  ignorance.  '  The  Government'  has  set  the 
example  in  his  attack  upon  the  constitution  of  the  United 
States,  and  who  should  fear  to  follow  where  '  the  Gov- 
ernmenV  leads  ? 

"  When  the  day  of  election  approaches,  visit  your  con 
stituents  far  and  wide.  Treat  liberally,  and  drink  free 
ly,  in  order  to  rise  in  their  estimation,  though  you  fall  in 
your  own.  True,  you  may  be  called  a  drunken  dog  by 
some  of  the  clean  shirt  and  silk  stocking  gentry,  but  the 
real  rough  necks  will  style  you  a  jovial  fellow,  their 
votes  are  certain,  and  frequently  count  double.  Do  all 
you  can  to  appear  to  advantage  in  the  eyes  of  the  wo 
men.  That's  easily  done — you  have  but  to  kiss  and 
slabber  their  children,  wipe  their  noses,  and  pat  them  on 
the  head ;  this  cannot  fail  to  please  their  mothers,  and 
you  may  rely  on  your  business  being  done  in  that 
quarter. 

"  Promise  all  that  is  asked,"  said  I,  "  and  more  if  you 
can  think  of  any  thing.  Offer  to  build  a  bridge  or  a 
church,  to  divide  a  county,  create  a  batch  of  new  offices, 
make  a  turnpike,  or  any  thing  they  like.  Promises  cos* 


£76  HOW    TO    GET    OFFICE. 

nothing,  therefore  deny  nobody  who  has  a  vote  or  suffi* 
cient  influence  to  obtain  one. 

"  Get  up  on  all  occasions,  and  sometimes  on  no  occa 
sion  at  all,  and  make  long-winded  speeches,  though  com 
posed  of  nothing  else  than  wind — talk  of  your  devotion 
to  your  country,  your  modesty  and  disinterestedness,  or 
on  any  such  fanciful  subject.  Rail  against  taxes  of  all 
kinds,  office-holders,  and  bad  harvest  weather ;  and  wind 
up  with  a  flourish  about  the  heroes  \\lio  fought  and  bled 
for  our  liberties  in  the  times  that  tried  men's  souls.  To 
be  sure  you  run  the  risk  of  being  con.-idered  a  bladder  of 
wind,  or  an  empty  barrel,  but  never  mind  that,  you  will 
find  enough  of  the  same  fraternity  to  keep  you  in  coun 
tenance. 

"  If  any  charity  be  going  forward,  be  at  the  top  of  it, 
provided  it  is  to  be  advertised  publicly ;  if  not,  it  isn't 
worth  your  while.  None  but  a  fool  would  place  his  can 
dle  under  a  bushel  on  such  an  occasion. 

"These  few  directions,"  said  I,  "if  properly  attended 
to,  will  do  your  business ;  and  when  once  elected,  why  a 
fig  for  the  dirty  children,  the  promises,  the  bridges,  the 
churches,  the  taxes,  the  offices,  and  the  subscriptions,  for 
it  is  absolutely  necessary  to  forget  all  these  before  you 
can  become  a  thorough-going  politician,  and  a  patriot  of 
the  first  water.'* 

My  speech  was  received  with  three  times  three,  and  all 
that;  and  we  continued  speechifying  and  drinking  until 
nightfall,  when  it  was  put  to  vote,  that  we  would  have 
the  puppet  show  over  again,  which  was  carried  nem.  con. 
The  showman  set  his  wires  to  work,  just  as  "  the  Govern 
ment"  does  the  machinery  in  his  big  puppet  show;  and 


A    JOLLY    EVENING.  277 

ve  spent  a  delightful  and  rational  evening.  We  raised 
a  subscription  for  the  poor  showman ;  and  I  went  to  bed, 
pleased  and  gratified  with  the  hospitality  and  kindness 
of  the  citizens  of  Little  Rock.  There  are  some  first-rate 
men  there,  of  the  real  half  horse  half  alligator  breed, 
with  a  sprinkling  of  the  stoamboat,  and  such  as  grow  no- 
wnere  on  the  face  of  the  universal  earth,  but  just  about 
the  back  bone  of  North  America. 


CHAPTER   XXVIi. 

Western  Hospitality—The  Colonel  takes  leave  of  his  Little  Rocl£ 
friends — Escorted  on  his  way  towards  Texas — Tries  for  recruits  for 
the  Texan  war,  without  success — Whimsical  adventure  of  the  fid 
dling  bookseller — Great  utility  of  fiddling — Account  of  Arkansas — 
Eloquence  of  the  parson — The  parting — Specimen  of  impertinent 
curiosity  baffled — Job  Snelling — Arrival  at  Fulton. 

THE  day  after  our  public  dinner  I  determined  to  leave 
my  hospitable  friends  at  Little  Rock,  and  cross  Arkansas 
to  Fulton  on  the  Red  River,  a  distance  of  about  one  hun 
dred  and  twenty  miles.  They  wanted  me  to  stay  longer ; 
and  the  gentleman  who  had  the  reputation  of  being  the 
best  marksman  in  those  parts  was  most  particularly  anxi 
ous  that  we  should  have  another  trial  of  skill ;  but  saye 
I  to  myself  "  Crockett,  you've  had  just  about  glory 
enough  for  one  day,  so  take  my  advice  and  leave  well 
enough  alone."  I  declined  shooting,  for  there  was 
nothing  at  all  to  be  gained  by  it,  and  I  might  possibly 
lose  some  little  of  the  reputation  I  had  acquired.  I  have 
always  found  that  it  is  a  very  important  thing  for  a  man 
who  is  fairly  going  ahead,  to  know  exactly  how  far  to  go, 
and  when  to  stop.  Had  "the  Government"  stopped  bo-, 
fore  he  meddled  with  the  constitution,  the  deposites,  and 
"  taking  the  responsibility,"  he  would  have  retired  from 
office  with  almost  as  much  credit  as  he  entered  upon  it, 
(278) 


WESTERN    HOSPITALITY  279 

which  is  as  much  as  any  public  man  can  reasonably  ex 
pect.  But  the  General  is  a  whole  team,  and  when  fairly 
started,  will  be  going  ahead ;  and  one  might  as  well  at 
tempt  to  twist  a  streak  of  lightning  into  a  true  lover's 
knot  as  to  stop  him. 

Finding  that  I  was  bent  on  going,  for  I  became  impa 
tient  to  get  into  Texas,  my  kind  friends  at  Little  Rock 
procured  me  a  good  horse  to  carry  me  across  to  Red  Ri 
ver.  There  are  no  bounds  to  the  good  feeling  of  the 
pioneers  of  the  west  ;  they  consider  nothing  a  trouble 
that  will  confer  a  favor  upon  a  stranger  that  they  chance 
to  take  a  fancy  to  :  true,  we  are  something  like  chesnut 
burs  on  the  outside,  rather  prickly  if  touched  roughly, 
but  there's  good  fruit  within. 

My  horse  was  brought  to  the  door  of  the  tavern, 
around  which  many  of  the  villagers  was  assembled.  The 
4rum  and  fife  were  playing  what  was  intended  for  a  lively 
tune,  but  the  skin  of  the  drum  still  hung  as  loose  as  the 
hide  of  a  fat  man  far  gone  in  a  consumption  ;  and  the 
fife  had  not  yet  recovered  from  the  asthma.  The  music 
sounded  something  like  a  fellow  singing,  "  Away  with 
melancholy,"  on  the  way  to  the  gallows.  I  took  my 
leave  of  the  landlord,  shook  hands  with  the  showman, 
who  had  done  more  than  an  average  business,  kissed  his 
wife,  who  had  recovered,  and  bidding  farewell  to  all  my 
kind  hearted  friends,  I  mounted  my  horse  and  left  the 
village,  accompanied  by  four  or  five  gentlemen.  The 
drum  and  fife  now  appeared  to  exert  themselves,  and 
made  more  noise  than  usual,  while  the  crowd  sent  forth 
three  cheers  to  encourage  me  on  my  way. 

I  tried  to  raise  some  recruits  for   Texas  among  my 


280  GOING  TO   TEXAS. 

companions,  but  they  said  they  had  their  own  affairs  tc 
attend  to,  which  would  keep  them  at  home  for  the  pre* 
sent,  but  no  doubt  they  would  come  over  and  see  us  as 
soon  as  the  disturbances  should  be  settled.  They  looked 
upon  Texas  as  being  part  of  the  United  States,  though 
the  Mexicans  did  claim  it ;  and  they  had  no  doubt  the 
time  was  not  very  distant  when  it  would  be  received  into 
the  glorious  Union. 

My  companions  did  not  intend  seeing  me  farther  on 
my  way  than  the  Washita  river,  near  fifty  miles.  Con 
versation  was  pretty  brisk,  for  we  talked  about  the  affairs 
of  the  nation  and  Texas ;  subjects  that  are  by  no  means 
to  be  exhausted,  If  one  may  judge  by  the  long  speeches 
made  in  Congress,  where  they  talk  year  in  and  year  out, 
and  it  would  seem  that  as  much  still  remains  to  be  said 
as  ever.  As  we  drew  nigh  to  the  Washita,  the  silence 
was  broken  alone  by  our  own  talk  and  the  clattering  of 
our  horses'  hoofs,  and  we  imagined  ourselves  pretty  much 
the  only  travelers,  when  we  were  suddenly  somewhat 
startled  by  the  sound  of  music.  We  checked  our  horses, 
and  listened,  and  the  music  continued.  "  What  can  all 
that  mean?"  says  I.  "  Blast  my  old  shoes  if  I  know, 
Colonel,"  says  one  of  the  party.  We  listened  again,  and 
we  now  heard,  "  Hail  Columbia,  happy  land !"  played 
in  first  rate  style.  "That's  fine,"  says  I.  "Fine  as 
silk,  Colonel,  and  a  leetle  finer,"  says  the  other;  "but 
hark,  the  tune's  changed."  We  took  another  spell  of 
listening,  and  now  the  musician  struck  up  in  a  brisk  and 
lively  manner,  "Over  the  water  to  Charley."  "That's 
mighty  mysterious,"  says  one;  "Can't  cipher  it  out  no 
how,"  says  another ;  "  A  notch  beyant  my  measure," 


FIDDLER    IN    DANGER.  281 

01  jrs  a  third.  "  Then  let  us  go  ahead,"  says  I,  and  off 
w<?  dashed  at  a  pretty  rapid  gait,  I  tell  you — by  no  means 
slow. 

As  we  approached  the  river,  we  saw  to  the  right  of 
tfie  road  a  new  clearing  on  a  hill,  where  several  men 
*ere  at  work,  and  they  running  down  the  hill  like  wild 
Indians,  or  rather,  like  the  office-holders  in  pursuit  of  the 
deposites.  There  appeared  to  be  no  time  to  be  lost,  so 
they  ran,  and  we  cut  ahead  for  the  crossing.  The  music 
continued  in  all  this  time  stronger  and  stronger,  and  the 
very  notes  appeared  to  speak  distinctly,  "  Over  the  wa 
ter  to  Charley." 

When  we  reached  the  crossing,  we  were  struck  all  of 
a  heap,  at  beholding  a  man  seated  in  a  sulky  in  the  mid 
dle  of  the  river,  and  playing  for  life  on  a  fiddle.  The 
horse  was  up  to  his  middle  in  the  water,  and  it  seemed 
as  if  the  flimsy  vehicle  was  ready  to  be  swept  away  by 
the  current.  Still  the  fiddler  fiddled  on  composedly,  as 
if  his  life  had  been  insured,  and  he  was  nothing  more 
than  a  passenger.  We  thought  he  was  mad,  and  shouted 
to  him.  He  heard  us,  and  stopped  his  music.  "  You 
have  missed  the  crossing,"  shouted  one  of  the  men  from 
the  clearing.  "  I  know  I  have,"  returned  the  fiddler. 
**  If  you  go  ten  feet  farther  you  will  be  drowned."  "I 
know  I  shall,"  returned  the  fiddler.  "  Turn  back,"  saiJ 
the  man.  "  I  can't,"  said  the  other.  "  Then  how  the 
devil  will  you  get  out  ?''  "  I'm  sure  I  don't  know :  come 
you  and  help  me." 

The  men  from  the  clearing,  who  understood  the  river, 
took  our  horses  and  rode  up  to  the  sulky,  and  after  some 
difficulty  succeeded  in  bringing  the  traveler  safe  to  shore, 


282  USE   OF   FIDDLING. 

when  we  recognised  the  worthy  parson  who  had  fiddled 
for  us  at  the  puppet  show  at  Little  Rock.  They  told 
him  that  he  had  Lad  a  narrow  escape,  and  he  replied  that 
he  had  found  that  out  an  hour  ago.  He  said  he  had  been 
fiddling  to  the  fishes  for  a  full  hour,  and  had  exhausted 
all  the  tunes  that  he  could  play  without  notes.  We  then 
asked  him  what  could  have  induced  him  to  think  of  fid 
dling  at  a  time  of  such  peril ;  and  he  replied,  that  he  had 
remarked  in  his  progress  through  life,  that  there  was  no 
thing  in  univarsal  natur  so  well  calculated  to  draw  peo 
ple  together  as  the  sound  of  a  fiddle ;  and  he  knew  that 
he  might  bawl  until  he  wa;s  hoarse  for  assistance,  and  no 
one  would  stir  a  peg ;  but  they  would  no  sooner  hear  the 
scraping  of  his  catgut,  than  they  would  quit  all  other 
business,  and  come  to  the  spot  in  flocks.  We  laughed 
heartily  at  the  knowledge  the  parson  showed  of  human 
natur.  And  he  was  right. 

Having  fixed  up  the  old  gentleman's  sulky  right  and 
tight,  and  after  rubbing  down  his  poor  jaded  animal,  the 
company  insisted  on  having  a  dance  before  we  separa 
ted.  We  all  had  our  flasks  of  whiskey ;  we  took  a  drink 
all  round,  and  though  the  parson  said  he  had  about 
enough  fiddling  for  one  day,  he  struck  up  with  great 
good  humor;  at  it  we  went  and  danced  straight  fours 
for  an  hour  and  better.  We  all  enjoyed  ourselves  very 
much,  but  came  to  the  conclusion  that  dancing  wasn't 
altogether  the  thing  without  a  few  petticoats  to  give  it 
variety. 

The  dance  being  over,  our  new  friends  pointed  out  the 
right  fording,  and  assisted  the  parson  across  the  river. 
We  took  another  drink  all  around,  and  after  shaking 


ARKANSAS.  283 

each  other  cordially  by  the  hand,  we  separated,  wishing 
eat  h  other  all  the  good  fortune  that  the  rugged  lot  that 
has  heen  assigned  us  will  afford.  My  friends  retraced 
the  road  to  Little  Rock,  and  I  pursued  my  journey ;  and 
as  I  thought  of  their  disinterested  kindness  to  an  entire 
stranger,  I  felt  that  the  world  is  not  quite  as  heartless 
and  selfish  as  some  grumblers  would  have  us  think. 

The  Arkansas  is  a  pretty  fine  territory,  being  aboat 
five  hundred  and  fifty  miles  in  length  from  east  to  west, 
with  a  mean  width  of  near  two  hundred,  extending  over 
an  area  of  about  one  hundred  thousand  square  miles 
The  face  of  the  country  from  its  great  extent  is  very 
much  diversified.  It  is  pretty  well  watered,  being  inter 
sected  by  the  Arkansas  river,  and  branches  of  the  Red, 
Washita,  and  White  rivers.  The  Maserne  mountains, 
which  rise  in  Missouri,  traverse  Arkansas,  and  extend 
into  Texas.  That  part  of  the  Territory  to  the  south 
east  of  the  Masernes  is  for  the  most  part  low,  and  in 
many  places  liable  to  be  overflowed  annually.  To  the 
north-west  of  the  mountains,  the  country  presents  gen 
erally  an  open  expanse  of  prairie  without  wood,  except 
near  the  borders  of  the  streams.  The  seasons  of  the 
year  partake  of  those  extremes  of  heat  and  cold,  which 
might  be  expected  in  so  great  an  extent,  and  in  a  coun 
try  which  affords  so  much  difference  of  level.  The  sum 
mers  are  as  remarkable  as  the  winters  for  extreme  of 
temperature.  The  soil  exhibits  every  variety,  from  the 
most  productive  to  the  most  sterile.  The  forest  trees 
are  numerous  and  large ;  such  as  oak,  hickory,  sycamore, 
cotton-wood,  locust,  and  pine.  The  cultivated  fruit  trees 
are  the  apple,  pear,  peach,  plum,  nectarine,  cherry,  and 


284         ELOQUENCE  OF  THE  PARSON. 

quinc;r  and  the  various  kinds  of  grains,  such  as  wheat 
rye,  c?.t3,  barley,  and  Indian  corn,  succeed  amazing  well. 
Cotton,  Indian  corn,  flour,  peltry,  salted  provisions,  and 
lumber,  are  the  staples  of  this  territory.  Arkansas  was 
among  the  most  ancient  settlements  of  the  French  in 
Louisiana.  That  nation  had  a  hunting  and  trading  post 
on  the  Arkansas  river,  as  early  as  the  beginning  of  the 
eighteenth  century.  Arkansas,  I  rather  reckon,  will  be 
admitted  as  a  state  into  the  Union  during  the  next  ses 
sion  of  Congress ;  and  if  the  citizens  of  Little  Rock  are 
a  fair  sample  of  her  children,  she  cannot  fail  to  go  ahead. 
I  kept  in  company  with  the  parson  until  we  arrived  at 
Greenville,  and  I  do  say,  he  was  just  about  as  pleasant 
an  old  gentleman  to  travel  with,  as  any  man  who  wasn't 
too  darned  particular,  could  ask  for.  We  talked  about 
politics,  religion,  and  nature,  farming,  and  bear  hunting, 
and  the  many  blessings  that  an  all  bountiful  Providence 
has  bestowed  upon  our  happy  country.  He  continued 
to  talk  upon  this  subject,  traveling  over  the  whole 
ground  as  it  were,  until  his  imagination  glowed,  and  his 
soul  became  full  to  overflowing ;  and  he  checked  his 
horse,  and  I  stopped  mine  also,  and  a  stream  of  eloquence 
burst  forth  from  his  aged  lips,  such  as  I  have  seldom  lis 
tened  to :  it  came  from  the  overflowing  fountain  of  a  pure 
and  grateful  heart.  We  were  alone  in  the  wilderness, 
but  as  he  proceeded,  it  seemed  to  me  as  if  the  tall  trees 
bent  their  tops  to  listen ; — that  the  mountain  stream 
laughed  out  joyfully  as  it  bounded  on  like  some  living 
thing ;  tlvdt  the  fading  flowers  of  autumn  smiled,  and 
sent  forth  fresher  fragrance,  as  if  conscious  that  they 
would  revive  in  spring,  and  even  the  sterile  rocks  seemed 


THE   PARTING^  285 

to  be  endued  with  some  mysterious  influence.  We  were 
alone  in  the  wilderness,  but  all  things  told  me  that  God 
was  there.  x  The  thought  renewed  my  strength  and  cour- 
Hge.  I  had  left  my  country,  felt  somewhat  like  an  out 
cast,  believed  that  I  had  been  neglected  and  lost  sight 
of:  but  I  was  now  conscious  that  there  was  still  one 
watchful  Eye  over  me ;  no  matter  whether  I  dwelt  in  the 
populous  cities,  or  threaded  the  pathless  forest  alone  ;  no 
matter  whether  I  stood  in  the  high  places  among  men, 
or  made  my  solitary  lair  in  the  untrodden  wild,  that  Eye 
was  still  upon  me.  My  very  soul  leaped  joyfully  at  the 
thought ;  I  never  felt  so  grateful  in  all  my  life ;  I  never 
loved  my  God  so  sincerely  in  all  my  life.  I  felt  that  I 
still  had  a  friend. 

When  the  old  man  finished,  I  found  that  my  eyes  were 
wet  with  tears.  I  approached  and  pressed  his  hand,  and 
thanked  him,  and  says  I,  "  Now  let  us  take  a  drink."  I 
set  him  the  example,  and  he  followed  it^  and  in  a  style 
too  that  satisfied  me,  that  if  he  had  ever  belonged  to  the 
Temperance  society,  he  had  either  renounced  mem 
bership,  or  obtained  a  dispensation.  Having  liquored, 
we  proceeded  on  our  journey,  keeping  a  sharp  look-out 
for  mill-seats  and  plantations  as  we  rode  along. 

I  left  the  worthy  old  man  at  Greenville,  and  sorry 
enough  I  was  to  part  with  him,  for  he  talked  a  great 
deal,  and  he  seemed  to  know  a  little  about  everything. 
He  knew  all  about  the  history  of  the  country ;  was  well 
acquainted  with  all  the  leading  men ;  knew  where  all  the 
good  lands  lay  in  most  of  the  western  states,  as  well  as 
the  cutest  clerk  in  the  Land  Office ;  and  had  traced  most 
of  the  rivers  to  their  sources.  He  was  very  cheerful  and 


286  CURIOSITY. 

happy,  though  to  all  appearances  very  poor  I  thought 
that  he  would  make  a  first-rate  agent  for  taking  up  lands, 
and  mentioned  it  to  him ;  he  smiled,  and  pointing  above, 
said,  ".My  wealth  lies  not  in  this  world." 

I  mounted  my  horse  and  pushed  forward  on  my  road 
to  Fulton.  When  I  reached  Washington,  a  village  a 
few  miles  from  the  Red  river,  I  rode  up  to  the  Black 
Bear  tavern,  when  the  following  conversation  took  place 
between  me  and  the  landlord,  which  is  a  pretty  fair  sam 
ple  of  the  curiosity  of  some  folks  : — 

"  Good  morning,  mister — I  don't  exactly  recollect  your 
name  now,"  said  the  landlord  as  I  alighted. 

"It's  of  no  consequence,"  said  I. 

"I'm  pretty  sure  I've  seen  you  somewhere." 

"Very  likely  you  may,  I've  been  there  frequently." 

44 1  was  sure  'twas  so;  but  strange  I  should  forget 
your  name,"  says  he. 

"  It  is  indeed  somewhat  strange  that  you  should  forget 
what  you  never  knew,"  says  I. 

"  It  is  unaccountable  strange.  It's  what  I'm  not  often 
in  the  habit  of,  I  assure  you.  I  have,  for  the  most  part, 
a  remarkably  detentive  memory.  In  the  power  of  peo- 
Dle  that  pass  along  this  way,  I've  scarce  ever  made,  as 
the  doctors  say,  a  slapsus  slinJcum  of  this  kind  afore." 

44  Eh  heh  !"  I  shouted,  while  the  critter  continued. 

44  Traveling  to  the  western  country,  I  presume,  mis 
ter  ?" 

41  Presume  anything  you  please,  sir,"  said  I;  "but 
ilon't  trouble  me  with  your  presumptions." 

44  0  Lord,  no,  sir — I  won't  do  that,  I've  no  idee*  of 


QUESTIONING.  287 

that — not  the  least  ideer  in  the  world,"  say  3  he ;  •*!  sup- 
pose  you've  been  to  the  westward  afore  now  ?" 

"  Well,  suppose  I  have  ?" 

"  Why,  on  that  supposition,  I  was  going  to  say  you 
must  be  pretty  well — that  is  to  say,  yoi^  must  know  some 
thing  about  the  place." 

"Eh  heh  !"  I  ejaculated,  looking  sort  of  mazed  full 
in  his  face.  The  tarnal  critter  still  went  ahead. 

"  ]  take  it  you're  a  married  man,  mister  ?  ' 

"  Take  it  as  you  will,  that  is  no  affah  of  mire," 
says  I. 

"  Well,  after  all,  a  married  life  is  the  most  happiest 
way  of  living  ;  don't  you  think  so,  mister  ?" 

"Very  possible,"  says  I. 

"  I  conclude  you  have  a  family  of  children,  sir  ?" 

"  I  don't  know  what  reason  you  have  to  conclude  so." 

"  Oh,  no  reason  in  the  world,  mister,  not  the  least/' 
says  he ;  "  but  I  thought  I  might  just  take  the  liberty 
to  make  the  presumption,  you  know ;  that's  all,  sir.  I 
take  it,  mister,  you're  a  man  about  my  age  ?" 

"Eh  heh!"   ' 

"  How  old  do  you  call  yourself,  if  I  may  be  so  bold?" 

"You're  bold  enough,  the  devil  knows,"  says  I;  and 
as  I  spoke  rather  sharp,  the  varment  seemed  rather 
staggered,  but  he  soon  recovered  himself,  and  came  up 
to  the  chalk  again. 

"  No  offence  I  hope — I — I — I — wouldn't  be  thought 
uncivil,  by  any  means  ;  I  always  calculate  to  treat  every 
body  with  civility." 

"  You  have  a  very  strange  way  of  showing  it." 

"  True,  as  you  say,  I  ginerally  take  my  own  way  in 


288  CURIOSITY   BAFFLED. 

these  ere  matters.  Do  you  practice  law,  mister,  or 
farming,  or  mechanicals?" 

11  Perhaps  so,"  says  I. 

"Ah,  I  judge  so ;  1  was  pretty  certain  it  must  be  the 
case.  Well,  it's  as  good  business  as  any  there  is  fol 
lowed  now-a-days." 

"Eh  heh !"  I  shouted,  and  my  lower  jaw  fell  in 
amazement  at  his  perseverance. 

"I  take  it  you've  money  at  interest,  mister?"  con 
tinued  the  varment,  without  allowing  himself  time  to 
take  breath. 

"  Would  it  be  of  any  particular  interest  to  you  to  find 
out?"  says  I. 

"  Oh,  not  at  all,  not  the  least  in  the  world,  sir;  I'm 
not  at  all  inquisitive  about  other  people's  matters;  1 
minds  my  own  business — that's  my  way." 

"  And  a  very  odd  way  you  have  of  doing  it,  too." 

"I've  been  thinking  what  persuasion  you're  of — whe 
ther  you're  a  Unitarian  or  Baptist,  or  whether  you 
belong  to  the  Methodisses." 

"Well,  what's  the  conclusion?" 

"  Why,  I  have  concluded  that  I'm  pretty  near  right 
in  my  conjectures.  Well,  after  all,  I'm  inclined  to  think 
they're  the  nearest  right  of  any  persuasion — though  some 
folks  think  differently." 

"  Eh  heh  !"  I  shouted  again. 

"As  to  pollyticks,  I  take  it,  you — that  is  to  say,  I 
.suppose  you " 

"  Very  likely." 

"  Ah !  I  could  have  sworn  it  was  so  from  the  moment 
t  saw  you.  I  have  a  knack  at  finding  out  a  man's  sen- 


JCB    SNELLING.  289 

timents.  I  dare  say,  mister,  you're  a  justice  in  your 
own  country  ?" 

"And  if  I  may  return  the  compliment,  I  should  say 
you're  a  just  ass  everywhere."  By  this  time  I  began 
to  get  weary  of  his  impertinence,  and  led  my  horse  to 
the  trough  to  water,  but  the  darned  critter  followed  me 
up. 

"  Why,  yes,"  said  he,  "  I'm  in  the  commission  of  the 
peace,  to  be  sure — and  an  officer  in  the  militia — though, 
between  you  and  I,  I  wouldn't  wish  to  boast  of  it." 

My  horse  having  finished  drinking,  I  put  one  foot  in 
the  stirrup,  and  was  preparing  to  mount.  "Any  more 
inquiries  to  make?"  said  I. 

"  Why,  no,  nothing  to  speak  on,"  said  he.  "  When 
do  you  return,  mister?" 

"About  the  time  I  come  back,"  said  I;  and  leaping 
into  the  saddle,  galloped  off.  The  pestiferous  varment 
bawled  after  me,  at  the  top  of  his  voice, — 

"  Well,  I  shall  look  for  ye,  then.  I  hope  you  won't 
fail  to  call." 

Now,  who  in  all  natur  do  you  reckon  the  critter  was, 
who  afforded  so  fine  a  sample  of  the  impertinent  curi 
osity  that  some  people  have  to  pry  into  other  people's 
affairs  ? 

I  knew  him  well  enough  at  first  sight,  though  he 
Heemed  to  have  forgotten  me.  It  was  no  other  than  Job 
knelling,  the  manufacturer  of  cayenne  pepper  out  of 
mahogany  sawdust,  and  upon  whom  I  played  the  trick 
with  the  coon  skin.  I  pursued  my  journey  to  Fulton, 
and  laughed  heartily  to  think  what  a  swither  I  had  left 
poor  Job  in,  at  not  gratifying  his  curiosity ;  for  I  knew 
19 


290  ARRIVES   AT   FULTON. 

he  was  one  of  those  fellows  who  would  peep  down  your 
throat  just  to  ascertain  what  you  had  eaten  for  dinner. 

When  I  arrived  at  Fulton,  I  inquired  for  a  gentleman 
to  whom  my  friends  at  Little  Rock  had  given  me  a  letter 
of  introduction.  I  was  received  in  the  most  hospitable 
manner ;  and  as  the  steamboat  did  not  start  for  Natchi- 
toches  until  the  next  day,  I  spent  the  afternoon  in  seeing 
all  that  was  to  be  seen.  I  left  the  horse  with  the  gen 
tleman,  who  promised  to  have  him  safely  returned  to 
the  owner ;  and  I  took  the  steamboat,  and  started  on 
my  way  down  the  Red  river,  right  well  pleased  with  my 
reception  at  Fulton. 


CHAPTER   XXVIII. 

Departure  from  Fulton — Game  of  thimblerig  on  the  steamboat- 
Sleight  of  hand — The  Colonel  makes  Thimblerig  treat  toe  com- 
pany— The  Colonel's  toast — His  speech — His  opinion  of  Van 
Buren — Great  applause. 

There  was  a  considerable  number  of  passengers  on 
board  the  boat,  and  our  assortment  was  somewhat  like 
the  Yankee  merchant's  cargo  of  notions,  pretty  parti 
cularly  miscellaneous,  I  tell  you.  I  moved  through  the 
crowd  from  stem  to  stern,  to  see  if  i  could  discover  any 
face  that  was  not  altogether  strange  to  me ;  but  after  a 
general  survey,  I  concluded  that  I  had  never  seen  one 
of  them  before.  There  were  merchants,  and  emigrants, 
and  gamblers,  but  none  who  seemed  to  have  embarked 
in  the  particular  business  that  for  the  time  being  occu 
pied  my  mind — I  could  find  none  who  were  going  to 
Texas.  All  seemed  to  have  their  hands  full  enough  of 
their  own  affairs,  without  meddling  with  the  cause  of 
freedom.  The  greater  share  of  glory  will  be  mine, 
thought  I,  so  go  ahead,  Crockett. 

I  saw  a  small  cluster  of  passengers  at  one  end  of  the 
boat,  and  hearing  an  occasional  burst  of  laughter,  thinks 
I,  there's  some  sport  started  in  that  quarter,  and  having 
nothing  better  to  do,  I'll  go  in  for  my  share  of  it.  Ac 
cordingly  I  drew  nigh  to  the  cluster,  and  seated  on  the 

(291) 


292  THIMBLERIG. 

chest  was  a  tall,  lank,  sea-sarpent  looking  blackleg,  who 
had  crawled  over  from  Natchez  under  the  hill,  and  waa 
amusing  the  passengers  with  his  skill  at  thimblerig ;  at 
the  same  time  he  was  picking  up  their  shillings  just 
about  as  expeditiously  as  a  hungry  gobbler  would  a  pint 
of  corn  He  was  doing  what  might  be  called  an  average 
business  in  a  small  way,  and  lost  no  time  in  gathering 
up  the  fragments. 

I  watched  the  whole  process  for  some  time,  and  found 
that  he  had  adopted  the  example  set  by  the  old  tempter 
himself,  to  get  the  weathergage  of  us  poor  weak  mortals. 
lie  made  it  a  point  to  let  his  victims  win  always  the 
first  stake,  that  they  might  be  tempted  to  go  ahead  ;  and 
then,  when  they  least  suspected  it,  he  would  come  down 
upon  them  like  a  hurricane  in  a  cornfield,  sweeping  all 
before  it. 

I  stood  looking  on,  seeing  him  pick  up  the  chicken 
feed  from  the  green  horns,  and  thought  if  men  are  such 
darned  fools  as  to  be  cheated  out  of  their  hard  earnings 
by  a  fellow  who  has  just  brains  enough  to  pass  a  pea 
from  one  thimble  to  another,  with  such  sleight  of  hand, 
that  you  could  not  tell  under  which  he  had  deposited  it, 
it  is  not  astonishing  that  the  magician  of  Kindorhook 
sbould  play  thimblerig  upon  the  big  figure,  and  attempt 
to  cheat  the  whole  nation.  I  thought  that  "  the  Govern 
ment"  was  playing  the  same  game  with  the  deposites, 
and  'with  such  address,  too,  that  before  long  it  will  be  a 
hard  matter  to  find  them  under  any  of  the  thimblea 
where  it  is  supposed  they  have  been  originally  placed. 

The  thimble  conjurer  saw  me  looking  on,  and  eyeing 
ine  as  if  be  thought  I  would  bo  a  good  subject,  said  care- 


SLEIGHT   OF    HAND.  293 

lessly,  "  Come,  stranger,  won't  you  take  a  chance?"  the 
whole  time  passing  the  pea  from  one  thimble  to  the  other, 
by  way  of  throwing  out  a  bait  for  the  gudgeons  to  bite 
at.  "I  never  gamble,  stranger,"  says  I,  "principled 
against  it ;  think  it  a  slippery  way  of  getting  through 
the  world  at  best."  "  Them  are  my  sentiments  to  a 
notch,"  says  he;  "but  this  is  not  gambling  by  no  means. 
A  little  innocent  pastime,  nothing  more.  Better  take  a 
hack  by  way  of  trying  your  luck  at  guessing."  All  this 
time  he  continued  working  with  his  thimbles  ;  first  put 
ting  the  pea  under  one,  which  was  plain  to  be  seen,  and 
then  uncovering  it,  would  show  that  the  pea  was  there  ; 
he  would  then  put  it  under  the  second  thimble,  and  do 
the  same,  and  then  under  the  third  ;  all  of  which  he- did 
to  show  how  easy  it  would  be  to  guess  where  the  pea  was 
deposited,  if  one  would  only  keep  a  sharp  look-out. 

"Come,  stranger,"  says  he  to  me  again,  "you  had 
better  take  a  chance.  Stake  a  trifle,  I  don't  care  how 
small,  just  for  the  fun  of  the  thing." 

"I  am  principled  against  betting  money,"  says  1, 
"  but  I  don't  mind  going  in  for  drinks  for  the  present 
company,  for  I'm  as  dry  as  one  of  little  Isaac  Hill's  re 
gular  set  of  speeches." 

"I  admire  your  principles,"  says  he,  "andtosho\v 
that  I  play  with  these  here  thimbles  just  for  the  sake 
of  pastime,  I  will  take  that  bet,  though  I  am  a  whole  hog 
temperance  man.  Just  say  when,  stranger." 

He  continued  all  the  time  slipping  the  pea  from  one 
thimble  to  another;  my  eye  was  as  keen  as  a  lizard's, 
and  when  he  stopped,  I  cried  out,  "  Now ;  the  pea  is  un 
der  the  mi  Idle  thimble."     He  was  going  to  raise  it  to 


$59-1  DRINKS   ALL   ROUND. 

sb  >w  that  it  wasn't  there,  when  I  interfered,  and  said, 
"  Stop,  if  you  please,"  and  raised  it  myself,  and  sure 
enough  the  pea  was  there;  but  it  mought  have  been 
otherwise  if  he  had  had  the  uncovering  of  it. 

"  Sure  enough  you've  won  the  bet,"  says  he.  "  You've 
a  sharp  eye,  but  I  don't  care  if  I  give  you  another 
chance.  Let  us  go  fifty  cents  this  bout ;  I'm  sure  you'll 
win." 

"  Then  you're  a  darned  fool  to  bet,  stranger,"  says  I; 
"  and  since  that  is  the  case,  it  would  be  little  better  than 
picking  your  pocket  to  bet  with  you;  so  I'll  let  it  alone." 

"I  don't  mind  running  the  risk,"  said  he. 

"But  I  do,"  says  I;  "  and  since  I  always  let  well 
enough  alone,  and  I  have  had  just  about  glory  enough 
for  one  day,  let  us  all  go  to  the  bar  and  liquor." 

This  called  forth  a  loud  laugh  at  the  thimble  conjurer's 
expense ;  and  he  tried  hard  to  induce  me  to  take  just 
one  chance  more,  but  he  mought  just  as  well  have  sung 
psalms  to  a  dead  horse,  for  my  mind  was  made  up ;  and 
I  told  him,  that  I  looked  upon  gambling  as  about  the 
dirtiest  way  that  a  man  could  adopt  to  get  through  this 
dirty  world  ;  and  that  I  would  never  bet  any  thing  beyond 
a  quart  of  whisky  upon  a  rifle  shot,  which  I  considered 
a  legal  bet,  and  gentlemanly  and  rational  amusement. 
"But  all  this  cackling,"  says  I,  "makes  me  very 
thirsty,  so  let  us  adjourn  to  the  bar  and  liquor." 

He  gathered  up  his  thimbles,  and  the  whole  company 
followed  us  to  the  bar,  laughing  heartily  at  the  conjurer; 
for,  as  he  had  won  some  of  their  money,  they  were  sort 
of  delighted  to  see  him  beaten  with  his  own  cudgel.  He 
tried  to  laugh  too,  but  his  laugh  wasn't  at  all  pleasant 


THE   TREAT,  295 

and  rather  forced.  The  barkeeper  placed  a  big-bellied 
bottle  before  us ;  and  after  mixing  our  liquor,  I  was 
called  on  for  a  toast,  by  one  of  the  company,  a  chap  just 
about  as  rough  hewn  as  if  he  had  been  cut  out  of  a  gum 
log  with  a  broad-axe,  and  sent  into  the  market  without 
even  being  smoothed  off  with  a  jack  plane;  one  of  them 
chaps  who,  in  their  journey  through  life,  are  always 
ready  for  a  fight  or  a  frolic,  and  don't  care  the  toss  of  a 
copper  which. 

"  Well,  gentlemen,"  says  I,  "  being  called  upon  for  a 
toast,  and  being  in  a  slave-holding  state,  in  order  to 
avoid  giving  offence  ,and  running  the  risk  of  being 
lynched,  it  may  be  necessary  to  premise  that  I  am 
neither  an  abolitionist  nor  a  colonizationist,  but  simply  Col 
onel  Crockett  of  Tennessee,  now  bound  for  Texas."  When 
they  heard  my  name,  they  gave  three  cheers  for  Colonel 
Crockett ;  and  silence  being  restored,  I  continued,  u  Now, 
gentlemen,  I  will  offer  you  a  toast,  hoping,  after  what  I 
have  stated,  that  it  will  give  offence  to  no  one  present ; 
but  should  I  "be  mistaken,  I  must  imitate  the  '  old  Ro 
man,'  and  take  the  responsibility.  I  offer,  gentlemen, 
The  abolition  of  slavery :  let  the  work  first  begin  in  the 
two  houses  of  Congress.  There  are  no  slaves  in  the 
country  more  servile  than  the  party  slaves  in  Congress. 
The  wink  or  the  nod  of  their  masters  is  all-sufficient  for 
the  accomplishment  of  the  most  dirty  work." 

They  drank  the  toast  in  a  style  that  satisfied  me  that 
th3  little  Magician  might  as  well  go  to  a  pigsty  for  wool, 
as  to  beat  round  in  that  part  for  voters  :  they  were  all 
either  for  Judge  White  or  Old  Tippecanoe.  The  thim 
ble  conjurer  having  asked  the  barkeeper  how  much  there 


296  THE   TOAST. 

was  to  pay,  was  told  that  there  were  sixteen  smallers, 
which  amounted  co  one  dollar.  He  was  about  to  lay 
down  the  blunt,  but  not  in  Benton's  metallic  currency, 
which  I  find  has  already  become  as  shy  as  honesty  with 
an  office-holder,  but  he  planked  down  one  of  Biddle's 
notes,  when  I  interfered,  and  told  him  that  the  barkeeper 
had  made  a  mistake. 

"  How  so  ?"  demanded  the  barkeeper. 

"  How  much  do  you  charge,"  said  I,  "when  you  re 
tail  your  liquor?" 

"  A  fip  a  glass." 

"Well,  then,"  says  I,  "as  Thimblerig  here,  who  be 
longs  to  the  temperance  society,  took  it  in  wholesale,  I 
reckon  you  can  afford  to  let  him  have  it  at  half  price  ?" 

Now,  as  they  had  all  noticed  that  the  conjurer  went 
what  is  called  the  heavy  wet,  they  laughed  outright,  and 
we  heard  no  more  about  temperance  from  that  quarter. 
When  we  returned  to  the  deck,  the  blackleg  set  to  work 
with  his  thimbles  again,  and  bantered  me  to  bet;  b'it  I 
told  him  that  it  was  against  my  principle,  and  as  I  had 
alreadj  reaped  glory  enough  for  one  day,  I  would  just 
let  well  enough  alone  for  the  present.  If  the  "  old  Ro 
man  "  had  done  the  same  in  relation  to  the  deposites  and 
"the  monster,"  we  should  have  escaped  more  difficu'ties 
than  all  the  cunning  of  the  Little  Flying  Dutchman,  and 
Dick  Johnson  to  boot,  will  be  able  to  repair.  I  shouldn't 
be  astonished  if  the  new  Vice  President's  head  shmlj 
get  wool  gathering  before  they  have  half  unraveled  the 
knotted  and  twisted  thread  of  perplexities  that  the  old 
General  has  spun, — in  which  case  his  charming  sp  mse 
will  no  doubt  be  delighted,  for  then  they  will  be  all  ii  the 


THE   SPEECH.  297 

family  way.  What  a  handsome  display  they  will  make 
in  the  White  House  !  No  doubt  the  first  act  of  Congress 
will  be  to  repeal  the  duties  on  Cologne  and  Lavender 
waters,  for  they  will  be  in  great  demand  about  the  Palace, 
particularly  in  the  dog  days. 

One  of  the  passengers  hearing  that  I  was  on  board  of 
the  boat,  came  up  to  me  and  began  to  talk  about  the  af 
fairs  of  the  nation,  and  said  a  good  deal  in  favor  of  "  the 
Magician,"  and  wished  to  hear  what  I  had  to  say  against 
him.  He  talked  loud,  which  is  the  way  with  all  politi 
cians  educated  in  the  Jackson  school ;  and  by  his  slang- 
whanging  drew  a  considerable  crowd  around  us.  Now, 
this  was  the  very  thing  I  wanted,  as  I  knew  I  should  not 
soon  have  another  opportunity  of  making  a  political 
speech ;  he  no  sooner  asked  to  hear  what  I  had  to  say 
against  his  candidate,  than  I  let  him  have  it,  strong  and 
hot  as  he  could  take,  I  tell  you. 

"  What  have  I  to  say  against  Martin  Van  Buren  ? 
He  is  an  artful,  cunning,  intriguing,  selfish,  speculating 
lawyer,  who,  by  holding  lucrative  offices  for  more  than 
half  his  life,  has  contrived  to  amass  a  princely  fortune, 
and  is  now  seeking  the  Presidency,  principally  for  sordid 
gain,  and  to  gratify  the  most  selfish  ambition.  His  fame 
is  unknown  to  the  history  of  our  country,  except  as  a 
most  adroit  political  manager  and  successful  office  hun 
ter  He  never  took  up  arms  in  defence  of  his  coun 
try,  in  her  days  of  darkness  and  peril.  He  never  con 
tributed  a  dollar  of  his  surplus  wealth  to  assist  her  in  her 
hours  of  greatest  want  and  weakness.  Office  and  money 
have  been  the  gods  of  his  idolatry ;  and  at  their  shrinet 
has  the  ardent  worship  of  his  heart  been  ievoted,  from 


298  VAN   BUREN. 

the  earliest  days  of  his  manhood  to  the  present  moment, 
lie  can  hy  no  claim  to  pre-eminent  services  as  a  states 
man  ;  nor  has  he  ever  given  any  evidences  of  superior 
talent,  except  as  a  political  electioneerer  and  intriguer. 
As  a  politician,  he  is  *  all  things  to  all  men.'  He  is  for 
internal  improvement,  and  against  it ;  for  the  tariff,  and 
against  it ;  for  the  bank  monopoly,  and  against  it ;  for 
the  abolition  of  slavery,  and  against  it ;  and  for  any 
thing  else,  and  against  anything  else,  just  as  he  can  best 
promote  his  popularity,  and  subserve  his  own  private  in 
terest.  He  is  so  totally  destitute  of  moral  courage,  that 
he  never  dares  to  give  an  opinion  upon  any  important 
question  until  he  first  finds  out  whether  it  will  be  popu 
lar,  or  not.  He  is  celebrated  as  the  i  Little  Non-Corn- 
mittal  Magician,'  because  he  enlists  on  no  side  of  any 
question,  until  he  discovers  which  is  the  strongest  party ; 
and  then  always  moves  in  so  cautious,  sly,  and  secret  a 
manner,  that  he  can  change  sides  at  any  time,  as  easily 
as  a  juggler  or  a  magician  can  play  off  his  arts  of  leger- 
de-main. 

"  Who  is  Martin  Van  Buren  ?  He  is  the  candidate 
of  the  office-holders,  and  office  expectants,,  who  nomina 
ted  him  for  the  Presidency  at  a  convention  assembled  in 
the  city  of  Baltimore,  in  May  last.  The  first  account  we 
have  of  his  political  life  is  while  he  was  a  member  of  the 
Senate  of  New  York,  at  the  time  when  Mr.  Clinton  was 
nominated  as  the  federal  candidate  for  the  presidency,  in 
opposition  to  Mr.  Madison.  The  support  he  then  gave 
Mr.  Clinton  afforded  abundant  evidence  of  that  spirit  of 
opposition  to  the  institutions  of  his  country,  which  was 
prominently  developed  in  the  conduct  of  those  with  whom 


VAN  BUREN'S  VOTES.  299 

he  was  united.  Shortly  after  the  success  of  Mr.  Madi 
son,  arid  during  the  prosecution  of  the  war,  Rufus  King, 
of  New  York,  (for  whom  Mr.  Van  Buren  voted,)  was 
elected  to  the  Senate  of  the  United  States,  avowedly  op 
posed  to  the  administration.  Upon  his  entrance  into 
that  body,  instead  of  devoting  his  energies  to  maintain 
the  war,  he  commenced  a  tirade  of  abuse  against  the  ad 
ministration  for  having  attempted  relief  to  the  oppressed 
seamen  of  our  gallant  navy,  who  had  been  compelled  by 
British  violence  to  arm  themselves  against  their  country, 
their  firesides,  and  their  friends.  Thus  Martin  Van  Bu 
ren  countenanced  by  his  vote  in  the  Senate  of  New 
York,  an  opposition  to  that  war,  which,  a  second  time, 
convinced  Great  Britain  that  Americans  could  not  be 
awed  into  bondage  and  subjection. 

"  Subsequent  to  this  time,  Mr.  Van  Buren  became 
himself  a  member  of  the  United  States  Senate,  and, 
while  there,  opposed  every  proposition  to  improve  the 
west,  or  to  add  to  her  numerical  strength. 

"  He  voted  against  the  continuance  of  the  national 
road  through  Ohio,  Indiana,  Illinois,  and  against  appro 
priations  for  its  preservation. 

"  He  voted  against  the  graduation  of  the  price  of  the 
public  lands. 

"  He  voted  against  ceding  the  refuse  lands  to  the 
States  in  which  they  lie. 

"  He  voted  against  making  donations  of  the  lands  to 
actual  settlers. 

"  lie  again  voted  against  ceding  the  refuse  lands, 
not  worth  twenty-five  cents  per  acre,  to  the  new 


300  GJIEAT  APPLAUSE. 

States  for  purposes  of  education  and  internal  improve 
ment. 

"  lie  voted  against  the  bill  providing  <  settlement  and 
pre-emption  rights'  to  those  who  had  assisted  in  opening 
and  improving  the  western  country,  and  thus  deprived 
many  an  honest  poor  man  of  a  home. 

"  He  voted  against  donations  of  land  to  Ohio,  to 
prosecute  the  Miami  Canal ;  and,  although  a  member 
of  the  Senate,  he  was  not  present  when  the  vote  waa 
taken  upon  the  engrossment  of  the  bill  giving  land  to 
Indiana  for  her  Wabash  and  Erie  Canal,  and  was  known 
to  have  opposed  it  in  all  its  stages. 

"  He  voted  in  favor  of  erecting  toll  gates  on  the  na 
tional  road ;  thus  demanding  a  tribute  from  the  west 
for  the  right  to  pass  upon  her  own  highways,  con 
structed  out  of  her  own  money — a  thing  never  heard  of 
before. 

u  After  his  term  of  service  had  expired  in  the  Senate, 
he  was  elected  Governor  of  New  York,  by  a  plurality 
of  votes.  He  was  afterwards  sent  to  England  as  min 
ister  plenipotentiary,  and  upon  his  return  was  elected 
Vice  President  of  the  United  States,  which  office  he 
now  holds,  and  from  which  the  office-holders  are  seeking 
to  transfer  him  to  the  Presidency." 

My  speech  was  received  with  great  applause,  and  the 
politician,  finding  that  I  was  better  acquainted  with  his 
candidate  than  he  was  himself,  for  I  wrote  his  life,  shut 
his  fly  trap,  and  turned  on  his  heel  without  saying  a 
word.  lie  found  that  he  had  barked  up  the  wrong 
tree.  I  afterward  learnt  that  he  was  a  mail  co^tractoi 


THE   POLITICIAN.  301 

in  those  parts,  and  that  he  also  had  large  dealings  in 
the  land  office,  and  therefore  thought  it  necessary  to 
chime  in  with  his  penny  whistle,  in  the  universal  chorus. 
There's  a  large  band  of  the  same  description,  but  I'm 
thinking  Uncle  Sam  will  some  day  find  out  that  he  has 
paid  too  much  for  the  piper.* 

*  The  Colonel's  stump  speech  on  this  occasion  is  very  interesting  as 
a  reminiscence  of  the  state  of  party  politics  more  than  twenty  years 
ago.  Then  the  great  bugbear  was  the  bank  of  the  United  States  on 
the  one  hand,  and  Jackson  and  Van  Buren  on  the  other.  Mntua1 
abuse  and  recrimination  were  the  order  of  the  day.  The  politician 
who  was  most  severe  and  unsparing  towards  his  opponents  was  most 
popular.  They  were  the  men  to  save  the  country,  which  was  always 
on  the  brink  of  ruin.  The  Colonel's  speech,  which  may  seem  odd  tc 
us  at  the  present,  is  really  quite  a  favcrable  specimen  of  what  wai 
considered  political  eloquence  in  his  day. 


CHAPTER    XXIX. 

Thimblerig  relates  the  events  of  his  life  to  the  Colonel — Thimblrrig 
courts  a  planter's  daughter — Gets  a  very  broad  hint  to  leave — be 
comes  a  play-actor — Refuses  to  perform  the  hind  legs  of  the  ele 
phant,  because  it  is  not  a  speaking  part — Gets  discharged — Becomes 
marker  in  a  gambling  house  at  New  Orleans — Quits — Becomes  a 
professional  blackleg — Goes  to  Natchez  under  the  hill — His  de 
scription  of  that  place — A  murder— Punishment  of  the  murderer 
-Punishment  of  a  gambler  for  cheating — Arrival  of  the  Colonel 
at  Natch itoches. 

AFTER  my  speech,  and  setting  my  face  against  gam 
bling,  poor  Thimblerig  was  obliged  to  break  oft*  conjuring 
for  want  of  customers,  and  call  it  half  a  day.  lie  came 
and  entered  into  conversation  with  me,  and  I  found  him 
a  good-natured,  intelligent  fellow,  with  a  keen  eye  for 
the  main  chance.  He  belonged  to  that  numerous  class, 
that  it  is  perfectly  safe  to  trust  as  far  as  a  tailor  can 
sling  a  bull  by  the  tail — but  no  farther.  He  told  me 
that  he  had  been  brought  up  a  gentleman ;  that  is  to 
say,  he  was  not  instructed  in  any  useful  pursuit  by 
which  he  could  obtain  a  livelihood,  so  that  when  he 
found  he  had  to  depend  upon  himself  for  the  necessaries 
of  life,  he  began  to  suspect,  that  dame  nature  would 
have  conferred  a  particular  favor  if  she  had  consigned 
him  to  the  care  of  any  one  else.  She  had  made  a  very 
(302) 


THIMBLERIG    COURTIN3.  303 

injudicious  choice  when  she  selected  him  to  sustain  th« 
dignity  of  a  gentleman. 

The  first  bright  idea  that  occurred  to  him  as  a  speedy 
means  of  bettering  his  fortune,  would  be  to  marry  an 
heiress.  Accordingly,  he  looked  about  himself  pretty 
sharp,  and  after  glancing  from  one  fair  object  to  ano 
ther,  finally,  his  hawk's  eye  rested  upon  the  young  and 
pretty  daughter  of  a  wealthy  planter.  Thimblerig  run 
his  brazen  face  with  his  tailor  for  ^a  new  suit,  for  he 
abounded  more  in  that  metallic  currency  than  he  did  in 
either  Benton's  mint  drops  or  in  Biddle's  notes ;  and 
having  the  gentility  of  his  outward  Adam  thus  endorsed 
by  his  tailor — an  important  endorsement,  by-the-way,  as 
times  go — he  managed  to  obtain  an  introduction  to  the 
planter's  daughter. 

Our  worthy  had  the  principle  of  going  ahead  strongly 
developed.  He  was  possessed  of  considerable  address, 
and  had  brass  enough  in  his  face  to  make  a  wash-kettle  : 
and  having  once  got  access  to  the  planter's  house,  it 
was  no  easy  matter  to  dislodge  him.  In  this  he  resem 
bled  those  politicians  who  commence  life  as  office-holders; 
they  will  hang  on,  tooth  and  nail,  and  even  when  death 
eliakes  them  off,  you'll  find  a  commission  of  some  kind 
crumpled  up  in  their  clenched  fingers.  Little  Van 
appears  to  belong  to  this  class — there's  no  beating  his 
snout  from  the  public  crib.  He'll  feed  there  while 
there's  a  grain  of  corn  left,  and  even  then,  from  long 
habit,  he'll  set  to  work  and  gnaw  at  the  manger. 

Thimblerig  got  the  blind  side  of  the  planter,  and 
everything,  to  outward  appearances,  went  on  s^7im• 
mingly.  Our  worthy  boasted  to  his  cronies  that  the 


804  A    BROAD   HINT. 

business  was  settled,  and  that  in  a  few  weeks  he  should 
occupy  the  elevated  station  in  society  that  nature  had 
designed  him  to  adorn.  He  swelled  like  the  frog  in  the 
fable,  or,  rather,  like  Johnson's  wife,  of  Kentucky, 
when  the  idea  occurred  to  her  of  figuring  away  ;i\ 
Washington.  But  there's  many  a  slip  'twixt  the  cup 
and  the  lip,  says  the  proverb,  and  suddenly  Thimblerig 
discontinued  his  visits  at  the  planter's  house.  Hia 
friends  inquired  of  him  the  meaning  of  this  abrupt  ter 
mination  of  his  devotions. 

u  I  have  been  treated  with  disrespect,"  replied  the 
worthy,  indignantly. 

"  Disrespect !  in  what  way  ?" 

"  My  visits,  it  seems,  are  not  altogether  agreeable." 

u  But  how  have  you  ascertained  that  ?" 

"I  received  a  hint  to  that  effect;  and  I  can  take  a 
hint  as  soon  as  another.'* 

"  A  hint ! — and  have  you  allowed  a  hint  to  drive  you 
from  the  pursuit?  For  shame.  Go  back  again." 

"  No,  no,  never  !  a  hint  is  sufficient  for  a  man  of  my 
gentlemanly  feelings.  I  asked  the  old  man  for  his 
daughter." 

"  Well,  what  followed?  what  did  he  say?" 

"  Didn't  say  a  word." 

"  Silence  gives  consent  all  the  world  over." 

"  So  I  thought.     I  then  told  him  to  fix  the  day." 

«  Well,  what  then  ?" 

"Why,  then,  he  kicked  me  lown  stairs,  and  orderod 
bib'  slaves  to  pump  upon  me.  That's  hint  enough  for 
ine,  that  my  visits  are  not  properly  appreciated ;  and 


THE    ELEPHANT.  805 

blast  my  old  shoes  if  I  condescend  to  renew  the  acquaint 
ance,  or  notice  them  in  any  way  until  they  send  for  me." 

As  Thimblerig's  new  coat  became  rather  too  seedy  to 
play  the  part  of  a  gentleman  much  longer  in  real  life, 
he  determined  to  sustain  that  character  upon  the  stage, 
and  accordingly  joined  a  company  of  players.  He  be 
gan,  according  to  custom,  at  the  top  of  the  ladder,  and 
was  regularly  hissed  and  pelted  through  every  gradation 
until  he  found  himself  at  the  lowest  rowel.  "  This," 
said  he,  "was  a  dreadful  check  to  proud  ambition;"  but 
he  consoled  himself  with  the  idea  of  peace  and  quietness 
in  his  present  obscure  walk ;  and  though  he  had  no  pros 
pect  of  being  elated  by  the  applause  of  admiring  multi 
tudes,  he  no  longer  trod  the  scene  of  mimic  glory  in  con 
stant  dread  of  becoming  a  target  for  rotten  eggs  and 
oranges.  "And  there  was  much  in  that,"  said  Thim- 
bleberig.  But  this  calm  could  not  continue  for  ever. 

The  manager,  who,  like  all  managers  who  pay  salaries 
regularly,, was  as  absolute  behind  the  scenes  as  the  "old 
Roman"  is  in  the  White  House,  had  fixed  upon  getting 
up  an  eastern  spectacle,  called  the  Cataract  of  the  Gan 
ges.  He  intended  to  introduce  a  fine  procession,  in 
which  an  elephant  was  to  be  the  principal  feature.  Here 
a  difficulty  occurred.  What  was  to  be  done  for  an  rle- 
phant  ?  Alligators  were  plenty  in  those  parts,  but  an 
elephant  was  not  to  be  had  for  love  or  money.  But  an 
alligator  would  not  answer  the  purpose,  so  he  determined 
to  make  a  pasteboard  elephant  as  large  as  life,  and  twice 
as  natural.  The  next  difficulty  was  to  find  members  of 
the  company  of  suitable  dimensions  to  perform  the  seve 
ral  members  of  the  pasteboard  star.  The  manager  cast 
20 


806  THE    MARKER. 

his  eye  upon  the  long,  gaunt  figure  of  the  unfortunate 
Thimblerig,  and  cast  him  for  the  hinder  legs,  the  rump, 
and  part  of  the  back  of  the  elephant.  The  poor  player 
expostulated,  and  the  manager  replied,  that  he  would 
appear  as  a  star  on  the  occasion,  and  would  no  doubt  re 
ceive  more  applause  than  he  had  during  his  whole  career. 
"  But  I  shall  not  be  seen,"  said  the  player.  "All 
the  better,"  replied  the  manager,  "as  in  that  case  you 
will  have  nothing  to  apprehend  from  eggs  and  oranges." 

Thimblerig,  finding  that  mild  expostulation  availed 
nothing,  swore  that  he  would  not  study  the  part,  and  ac 
cordingly  threw  it  up  in  dignified  disgust.  He  said  that 
it  was  an  outrage  upon  the  feelings  of  the  proud  repre 
sentative  of  Shakespeare's  Keroes,  to  be  compelled  to 
play  pantomine  in  the  hinder  parts  of  the  noblest  animal 
that  ever  trod  the  stage.  If  it  had  been  the  fore  quar 
ters  of  the  elephant,  it  might  possibly  have  been  made  a 
speaking  part;  at  any  rate,  he  might  have  snorted 
through  the  trunk,  if  nothing  more ;  but  from  the  posi 
tion  he  was  to  occupy,  damned  the  word  could  he  utter, 
or  even  roar  with  propriety.  He  therefore  positively 
refused  to  act,  as  he  considered  it  an  insult  to  his  repu 
tation  to  tread  the  stage  in  such  a  character ;  and  he 
looked  upon  the  whole  affair  as  a  profanation  of  the 
legitimate  drama.  The  result  was,  our  worthy  was  dis 
charged  from  the  company,  and  compelled  to  commence 
hoeing  another  row. 

He  drifted  to  New  Orleans,  and  hired  himself  as 
marker  to  a  gambling  table.  Here  he  remained  but  3 
few  months,  for  his  idea  of  arithmetic  differed  widely  from 
(hose  of  his  employer,  and  accordingly  they  had  some 


THE    BLACKLEG.  307 

difficulty  in  balancing  their  cash  account ;  for  -\fhen  his 
employer,  in  adding  up  the  receipts,  made  it  nought  and 
carry  two,  Thimblerig  insisted  that  it  should  be  nought 
and  carry  one  ;  and  in  order  to  prove  that  he  was  cor 
rect,  he  carried  himself  off,  and  left  nothing  behind  him. 

He  now  commenced  professional  blackleg  on  his  own 
hook,  and  took  up  his  quarters  in  Natchez  under  the  hill. 
Here  he  remained,  doing  business  in  a  small  way,  until 
Judge  Lynch  commenced  his  practice  in  that  quarter, 
and  made  the  place  too  hot  for  his  comfort.  He  shifted 
his  habitation,  but  not  having  sufficient  capital  to  go  the 
big  figure,  he  practised  the  game  of  thimblerig  until  he 
acquired  considerable  skill,  and  then  commenced  passing 
up  and  down  the  river  in  the  steamboats ;  and  managed, 
by  close  attention  to  business,  to  pick  up  a  decent  liveli 
hood  in  the  small  way,  from  such  as  had  more  pence  in 
their  pockets  than  sense  in  their  noddles. 

I  found  Thimblerig  to  be  a  pleasant  talkative  fellow. 
He  communicated  the  foregoing  tacts  with  as  much  in 
difference  as  if  there  had  been  nothing  disgraceful  in  his 
career ;  and  at  times  he  would  chuckle  with  an  air  of 
triumph  at  the  adroitness  he  had  displayed  in  some  of 
the  knavish  tricks  he  had  practised.  He  looked  upon 
this  world  as  one  vast  stage,  crowded  with  empirics  and 
jugglers ;  and  that  he  who  could  practise  his  deceptions 
\vith  the  greatest  skill  was  entitled  to  the  greatest  ap 
plause. 

I  asked  him  to  give  me  an  acceunt  of  Natchez  and  his 
adventures  there,  and  I  would  put  it  in  the  book  I  in 
tended  to  write,  when  he  gave  me  the  following,  which 
betrays  that  his  feelings  were  somewhat  irrigated  at  being 


808  NATCHEZ    UNDER    THE    HILL. 

obliged  to  give  them  leg  bail  when  Judge  Lynch  made 
his  appearance.  I  give  it  in  his  own  words : 

"Natchez  is  a  land  of  fevers,  alligators,  niggers,  and 
cotton  bales :  where  the  sun  shines  with  force  sufficient 
to  melt  the  diamond,  and  the  word  ice  is  expunged  from 
the  dictionary,  for  its  definition  cannot  be  comprehended 
by  the  natives :  where  to  refuse  grog  before  breakfast 
would  degrade  you  below  the  brute  creation  ;  and  where 
a  good  dinner  is  looked  upon  as  an  angel's  visit,  and 
voted  a  miracle :  where  the  evergreen  and  majestic  mag 
nolia  tree,  with  its  superb  flower,  unknown  to  the  north 
ern  climes,  and  its  fragrance  unsurpassed,  calls  forth  the 
admiration  of  every  beholder ;  and  the  dark  moss  hangs  in 
festoons  from  the  forest  trees,  like  the  drapery  of  a  funeral 
pall :  where  bears,  the  size  of  young  jackasses,  are  fon 
dled  in  lieu  of  pet  dogs  ;  and  knives,  the  length  of  a  bar 
ber's  pole,  usurp  the  place  of  toothpicks :  where  the  filth 
of  the  town  is  carried  off  by  buzzards,  and  the  in 
habitants  are  carried  off  by  fevers  :  where  nigger  women 
are  knocked  down  by  the  auctioneer,  and  knocked  up  by 
the  purchaser ;  where  the  poorest  slave  has  plenty  of  yel 
low  boys,  but  not  of  Benton's  mintage ;  and  indeed  the 
shades  of  colour  are  so  varied  and  mixed,  that  a  nigger 
is  frequently  seen  black  and  blue  at  the  same  time. 
And  such  is  Natchez. 

"  The  town  is  divided  into  two  parts,  as  distinct  in 
character  as  they  are  in  appearance.  Natchez  on  the 
hill,  situated  upon  a  high  bluff  overlooking  the  Missis 
sippi,  is  a  pretty  little  town  with  streets  regularly  laid 
out,  and  ornamented  with  divers  handsome  public  build 
ings.  Natchez  under  the  hill, — where,  oh  !  where  shall 


NATCHEZ    UNDER   1HE   HILL.  80? 

I  find  words  suitable  to  describe  the  peculiarities  of  that 
unholy  spot  ?  'Tis,  in  fact,  the  jumping  off  place.  Sa 
tan  looks  on  it  with  gke,  and  chuckles  as  he  beholds  the 
orgies  of  his  votaries.  The  buildings  are  for  the  most 
part  brothels,  taverns,  or  gambling  houses,  and  frequently 
the  whole  three  may  be  found  under  the  same  roof. 
Obscene  songs  are  sung  at  the  top  of  the  voice  in  all 
quarters.  I  have  repeatedly  seen  the  strumpets  tear  a 
man's  clothes  from  his  back,  and  leave  his  body  beauti 
fied  with  all  the  colors  of  the  rainbow. 

"  One  of  the  most  popular  tricks  is  called  the  '  Spanish 
burial.'  When  a  greenhorn  makes  his  appearance  among 
them,  one  who  is  in  the  plot  announces  the  death  of  a 
resident,  and  that  all  strangers  must  subscribe  to  the 
custom  of  the  place  upon  such  an  occasion.  They  forth 
with  arrange  a  procession  ;  each  person,  as  he  passes  the 
departed,  kneels  down  and  pretends  to  kiss  the  treacher 
ous  corpse.  When  the  unsophisticated  attempts  this 
ceremony  the  dead  man  clinches  him,  and  the  mourners 
beat  the  fellow  so  entrapped  until  he  consents  to  treat 
all  hands ;  but  should  he  be  penniless,  his  life  will  be  en 
dangered  by  the  severity  of  the  castigation.  And  such 
is  Natchez  under  the  hill. 

"An  odd  affair  occurred  while  I  was  last  there,"  con 
tinued  Thimblerig.  "  A  steamboat  stopped  at  the  land 
ing,  and  one  of  the  hands  went  ashore  under  the  hill  to 
purchase  provisions,  and  the  adroit  citizens  of  that  delec- 
table  retreat  contrived  to  rob  him  of  all  his  money.  The 
captain  of  the  boat,  a  determined  fellow,  went  ashore  in 
the  hope  of  persuading  them  to  refund,  but  that  cock 
wouldn't  fight.  Without  farther  ceremony,  assisted  by 


810  A    MURDER. 

his  crew  and  passengers,  some  three  or  four  himdrel  in 
aurnber,  he  made  fast  an  immense  cable  to  the  frame 
tenement  where  the  theft  had  been  perpetrated,  and 
allowed  fifteen  minutes  for  the  money  to  be  forthcoming ; 
vowed  if  it  was  not  produced  within  that  time,  to  put 
steam  to  his  boat,  and  drag  the  house  into  the  river. 
The  money  was  instantly  produced. 

"I  witnessed  a  sight  during  my  stay  there,"  continued 
the  thimble  conjuror,  "  that  almost  froze  my  blood  with 
horror,  and  will  serve  as  a  specimen  of  the  customs  of 
the  far  south.  A  planter,  of  the  name  of  Foster,  con 
nected  with  the  best  families  of  the  state,  unprovoked,  in 
cold  blood,  murdered  his  young  and  beautiful  wife,  a  few 
months  after  marriage.  He  beat  her  deliberately  to 
death  in  a  walk  adjoining  his  dwelling,  carried  the  body 
to  the  hut  of  one  of  his  slaves,  washed  the  dirt  from  her 
person,  and  assisted  by  his  negroes,  buried  her  upon  his 
plantation.  Suspicion  was  awakened,  the  body  disin 
terred,  and  the  villain's  guilt  established.  He  fled,  was 
overtaken  and  secured  in  prison.  His  trial  was,  by  some 
device  of  the  law,  delayed  until  the  third  term  of  the 
court.  At  length  it  came  on,  and  so  clear  and  indispu 
table  was  the  evidence  that  not  a  doubt  was  entertained 
of  the  result ;  when,  by  an  oversight  on  the  part  of  the 
sheriff,  who  neglected  swearing  into  office  his  deputy 
who  summoned  the  jurors,  the  trial  was  abruptly  discon 
tinued,  and  all  proceedings  against  Foster  were  suspended, 
or  rather  ended. 

"  There  exist  throughout  the  extreme  south,  bodies 
of  men  who  style  themselves  Lynchers.  When  an  indi 
vidual  escapes  punishment  by  some  technicality  of  the 


PUNISHMENT    OF    THE    MURDERER.  311 

law,  or  perpetrates  an  offence  not  recognized  in  courts  of 
justice,  they  seize  him,  and  inflict  such  chastisement  aa 
tK-ey  conceive  adequate  to  the  offence.  They  usually  act 
at  night  and  disguise  their  persons.  This  society  at 
Natchez  embraces  all  the  lawyers,  physicians,  and  prin 
cipal  merchants  of  the  place.  Foster,  whom  all  good 
men  loathed  as  a  monster  unfit  to  live,  was  called  into 
court,  and  formally  dismissed.  But  the  Lynchers  were 
at  hand.  The  moment  he  stept  from  the  court-house  he 
was  knocked  down,  his  arms  bound  behind  him,  his  eyes 
bandaged,  and  in  this  condition  was  marched  to  the  rear 
of  the  town,  where  a  deep  ravine  afforded  a  fit  place  for 
his  punishment  His  clothes  were  torn  from  his  back, 
his  head  partially  scalped,  they  next  bound  him  to  a  tree ; 
each  Lyncher  was  supplied  with  a  cow-skin,  and  they 
took  turns  at  the  flogging  until  the  flesh  hung  in  ribands 
iVom  his  body.  A  quantity  of  heated  tar  was  then 
poured  over  his  head,  and  made  to  cover  every  part  of 
his  person ;  they  finally  showered  a  sack  of  feathers  on 
him,  and  in  this  horrid  guise,  with  no  other  apparel  than 
a  miserable  pair  of  breeches,  with  a  drummer  at  his  heels, 
he  was  paraded  through  the  principal  streets  at  midday. 
No  disguise  was  assumed  by  the  Lynchers ;  the  very 
lawyers  employed  upon  his  trial  took  part  in  his  punish 
ment. 

u  Owing  to  long  confinement  his  gait  had  become 
enmped,  and  his  movements  were  very  faltering.  By 
the  time  the  procession  reached  the  most  public  part  of 
the  town,  Foster  fell  down  from  exhaustion,  and  was  al 
lowed  to  lie  there  for  a  time,  without  exciting  the  sym 
pathies  of  any  one,  an  object  of  universal  detestation. 


812  THE    GAMBLER. 

The  blood  oozing  from  his  stripes  had  beco:ne  mixed 
with  the  feathers  and  tar,  and  rendered  his  aspect  still 
more  horrible  and  loathsome.  Finding  him  unable  to  pro 
ceed  further,  a  common  dray  was  brought,  and  with  his 
back  t(  the  horse's  tail,  the  drummer  standing  over  him 
playing  the  rogue's  march,  he  was  reconducted  to  prison, 
the  only  place  at  which  he  would  be  received. 

"  A  guard  was  placed  outside  of  the  jail  to  give  notice 
to  the  body  of  Lynchers  when  Foster  might  attempt  to 
escape,  for  they  had  determined  on  branding  him  on  the 
forehead  and  cutting  his  ears  off.  At  two  o'clock  in  the 
morning  of  the  second  subsequent  day,  two  horsemen 
with  a  led  horse  stopped  at  the  prison,  and  Foster  was 
with  difficulty  placed  astride. 

"  The  Lynchers  wished  to  secure  him  ;  he  put  spurs  to 
his  beast,  and  passed  them.  As  he  rode  by  they  fired 
at  him ;  a  ball  struck  his  hat,  which  was  thrown  to  the 
ground,  and  he  escaped ;  but  if  ever  found  within  the 
limits  of  the  state,  he  will  be  shot  down  as  if  a  price  was  set 
on  his  head. 

"  Sights  of  this  kind,"  continued  Thimblerig,  "  are  by 
no  means  unfrequent.  I  once  saw  a  gambler,  a  sort  of 
friend  of  mine  by-the-way,  detected  cheating  at  faro,  at 
a  time  when  the  bets  were  running  pretty  high.  They 
flogged  him  almost  to  death,  added  the  tar  and  feathers, 
and  placed  him  aboard  a  dug-out,  a  sort  of  canoe,  at 
twelve  at  night ;  and  with  no  other  instrument  of  naviga 
tion  than  a  bottle  of  whisky  and  a  paddle,  set  him  adrift 
in  the  Mississippi.  He  has  never  been  heard  of  since, 
wad  the  presumption  is,  that  he  either  died  of  his  wounds 


THIMBLERIG'S  ESCAPE  FROM  VICKSBUKG        813 

or  was  run  down  in  the  night  by  a  steamer.     And  this 
,  is  what  we  call  Lynching  in  Natchez/' 

Thimblerig  had  also  been  at  Vicksburg  in  his  time, 
and  entertained  as  little  liking  for  that  place  as  he  did 
for  Natchez.  He  had  luckily  made  his  escape  a  short 
time  before  the  recent  clearing-out  of  the  sleight-of-hand 
gentry  ;  and  he  reckoned  some  time  would  elapse  before 
he  would  pay  them  another  visit.  He  said  they  must  be 
come  more  civilized  first.  All  the  time  he  was  talking 
to  me  he-was  seated  on  a  chest,  and  playing  mechanically 
with  his  pea  and  thimbles,  as  if  he  was  afraid  that  he 
would  lose  the  sleight  unless  he  kept  his  hand  in  constant 
practice.  Nothing  of  any  consequence  occurred  in  our 
passage  down  the  river,  and  I  arrived  at  Natchitoches 
in  perfect  health,  and  in  good  spirits.* 

*  Thimblerig's  account  of  Natchez  under  the  hill  some  twenty 
years  since  is  only  too  true.  It  was  a  notoriously  bad  place.  Life  and 
property  were  so  unsafe  there  that  few  decent  persons  were  willing  lo 
run  the  risk  of  visiting  the  place.  Of  late  years  it  seems  to  have  lost 
its  former  bad  eminence.  We  hear  no  more  of  riots,  murders,  lynch- 
ings,  and  gambling  broils  at  Natchez  under  the  hill ;  and  the  next 
generation  will  probably  doubt  the  credibility  of  the  stories  relied  >f 
this  den  of  infamy. 


CHAPTER  XXX. 

Account  of  Natchitoches — The  Colonel  advises  Thimblerig  to  reform 
and  join  the  Texan  patriots — Thimblerig  decides  to  do  so — Curious 
incident  of  the  Yellow  Boy — The  singer  and  the  politician — A  brisk 
conversation — The  singer  thrashes  the  politician — The  bee  hunter — 
He*  joins  the  patriots — The  Colonel,  Thimblerig,  and  the  Bee  Hun 
ter  set  out  for  Nacogdoches  on  their  way  to  Texas. 

NATCHITOCHES  is  a  post  town  and  seat  of  justice  for 
the  parish  of  Natchitoches,  Louisiana,  and  is  situated  on 
the  right  bank  of  the  Red  river.  The  houses  are  chiefly 
contained  in  one  street,  running  parallel  to  the  river; 
and  the  population  I  should  reckon  at  about  eight  hun 
dred.  The  soil  in  this  parish  is  generally  sterile,  and 
covered  with  pine  timber,  except  near  the  margin  of  Red 
river,  where  the  greatest  part  of  the  inhabitants  are  set 
tled  on  the  alluvial  banks.  Some  other,  though  com 
paratively  small,  tracts  of  productive  soil  skirt  the 
streams.  An  extensive  body  of  low  ground,  subject  to 
annual  subversion,  extends  along  the  Red  river,  which, 
it  is  said,  will  produce  forty  bushels  of  frogs  to  the  acre, 
and  alligators  enough  to  fence  it. 

I  stayed  two  days  at  Natchitoches,  during  which  time 
I  procured  a  horse  to  carry  me  across  Texas  to  the  seat 
of  war.  Thimblerig  remained  with  me,  and  I  found  his 
conversation  very  amusing  ;  for  he  is  possessed  of  humor 

and  observation,  and  has  s^sn  something  of  the  world. 
(314) 


A  FORLORN  ROGUE.  315 

Between  whiles  he  would  amuse  himself  with  his  thim 
bles,  to  which  he  appeared  greatly  attached,  and  occa 
sionally  he  would  pick  up  a  few  shillings  from  the  taveri* 
loungers.  He  no  longer  asked  me  to  play  with  him,  for 
he  felt  somewhat  ashamed  to  do  so,  and  he  knew  it  would 
be  no  go. 

I  took  him  to  task  in  a  friendly  manner,  and  tried  tc 
shame  him  out  of  his  evil  practices.  I  told  him  that  it 
was  a  burlesque  on  human  nature,  that  an  able-bodied 
man,  possessed  of  his  full  share  of  good  sense,  should 
voluntarily  debase  himself,  and  be  indebted  for  subsis 
tence  to  such  pitiful  artifice. 

"! But  what's  to  be  done,  Colonel?"  says  he.  "I'm 
in  the  slough  of  despond,  up  to  the  very  chin.  A  mirj 
and  slippery  path  to  travel." 

"Then  hold  your  head  up,"  says  I,  "before  the  slough 
reaches  your  lips." 

"  But  what's  the  use  ?  "  says  he :  "  it's  utterly  impos 
sible  for  me  to  wade  through  ;  and  even  if  I  could,  I 
should  be  in  such  a  dirty  plight,  that  it  would  defy  all 
the  waters  in  the  Mississippi  to  wash  me  clean  again. 
No,"  he  added,  in  a  desponding  tone,  "I  should  be  like 
a  live  eel  in  a  frying  pan,  Colonel ;  sort  of  out  of  my  ele 
ment,  if  I  attempted  to  live  like  an  honest  man  at  this 
time  o'day." 

"  That  I  deny.  It  is  never  too  late  to  become  honest/' 
said  I.  "  But  even  admit  what  you  say  to  be  true — that 
you  cannot  live  like  an  honest  man,  you  have  at  least  the 
next  best  thing  in  your  power,  and  no  one  can  say  nay 
to  it." 

"And  what  is  that?" 


316  THIMBLERIG'S  RESOLUTION. 

*  Die  like  a  brave  one.  And  I  know  not  whether,  in 
the  eyes  of  the  worU,  a  brilliant  death  is  not  preferred 
to  an  obscure  life  of  rectitude.  Most  men  are  remem 
bered  as  they  died,  and  not  as  they  lived.  We  gaze  with 
admiration  upon  the  glories  of  the  setting  sun,  yet  scarcely 
bestow  a  passing  glance  upon  its  noonday  splendor." 

"  You  are  right ;  but  how  is  this  to  be  done  ?  " 

"  Accompany  me  to  Texas.  Cut  aloof  from  your  de 
grading  habits  and  associates  here,  and  in  fighting  for 
their  freedom,  regain  your  own. 

He  started  from  the  table,  and  hastily  gathering  up 
the  thimbles  with  which  he  had  been  playing  all  the  time 
I  was  talking  to  him,  he  thrust  them  into  his  pocket,  and 
after  striding  two  or  three  times  across  the  room,  sud 
denly  stopped,  his  leaden  eye  kindled,  and  grasping  me 
by  the  hand  violently,  he  exclaimed  with  an  oath,  "  By 

,  I'll  be  a  man  again.  Live  honestly,  or  die  bravely. 

I  go  with  you  to  Texas." 

1  said  what  I  could  to  confirm  him  in  his  resolution, 
and  finding  that  the  idea  had  taken  fast  hold  of  his  mind, 
I  asked  him  to  liquor,  which  he  did  not  decline,  notwith 
standing  the  temperance  habits  that  he  boasted  of;  we 
then  took  a  walk  on  the  banks  of  the  river. 

The  evening  preceding  my  departure  from  Natchi- 
toches,  a  gentleman,  with  a  good  horse  and  a  light  wa 
gon,  drove  up  to  the  tavern  where  I  lodged.  He  was 
accompanied  by  a  lady  who  carried  an  infant  in  her  arms. 
As  they  alighted  I  recognized  the  gentleman  to  be  the 
politician  at  whom  I  had  discharged  my  last  political 
speech,  on  board  tin  boat  coming  down  the  Red  river. 
We  had  let  him  out  in  our  passage  down,  as  he  said  he 


A  YELLOW   BABY.  817 

had  some  business  to  transact  some  distance  above  Nat- 
cbitoches.     He  entered  the  tavern,  and   seemod  to  be 
ratber  shy  of  me,  so  I  let  him  go,  as  I  bad  no  idea  of  fir 
ing  two  shots  at  such  small  game. 

The  gentleman  had  a  private  room,  and  called  for  sup 
per  ;  but  the  lady,  who  used  every  precaution  to  keep 
the  child  concealed  from  the  view  of  any  one  refused  to 
eat  supper,  saying  she  was  unwell.  However,  the  gen 
tleman  made  a  hearty  meal,  and  excused  the  woman, 
saying,  "  My  wife  is  subject  to  a  pain  in  the  stomach, 
which  had  deprived  her  of  her  food."  S^on  after  sup 
per  the  gentleman  desired  a  bed  to  be  prepared,  which 
being  done,  they  immediately  retired  to  rest. 

About  an  hour  before  daybreak,  next  moi  ning,  the  re 
pose  of  the  whole  inn  was  disturbed  by  the  screams  of 
the  child.  This  continued  for  some  time,  and  at  length 
the  landlady  got  up  to  see  what  it  was  ailed  the  noisy 
bantling.  She  entered  the  chamber  without  a  light,  and 
discovered  the  gentleman  seated  ,in  the  bed  alone,  rock 
ing  the  infant  in  his  arms,  and  endeavoring  to  quiet  it  by 
saying,  "Hush,  my  dear — mamma  will  soon  return." 
However  the  child  still  squalled  on,  and  the  long  absence 
of  the  mother  rendered  it  necessary  that  something  should 
be  done  to  quiet  it. 

The  landlady  proposed  taking  up  the  child,  to  see  what 
•was  the  reason  of  its  incessant  cries.  She  approached 
the  bed,  and  requested  the  man  to  give  her  the  infant, 
ami  tell  her  whether  it  was  a  son  or  daughter ;  but  this 
question  redoubled  his  consternation,  for  he  was  entirely 
ignorant  which  sex  the  child  belonged  to;  however, with 


318  AN   EMBARRASSING   POSITION. 

some  difficulty,  he  made  the  discovery,  and  informed  tli« 
landlady  it  was  a  son. 

She  immediately  called  for  a  light,  which  was  no  sooner 
brought  than  the  landlady  began  to  unfold  the  wrapper 
from  the  child,  and  exclaim,  "  0,  what  a  fine  big  son  you 
1  ;ive  got  !  "  But  on  a  more  minute  examination  thej 
found  to  their  great  astonishment,  and  to  the  mortification 
and  vexation  of  the  supposed  father,  that  the  child  was 
a  mulatto. 

The  wretched  man,  having  no  excuse  to  offer,  imme 
diately  divulged  the  whole  matter  without  reserve.  He 
stated  that  he  had  fell  in  with  her  on  the  road  to  Natchito- 
ches  the  day  before,  and  had  offered  her  a  seat  in  his 
vehicle.  Soon  perceiving  that  she  possessed  an  uncom 
mon  degree  of  assurance,  induced  him  to  propose  that 
they  should  pass  as  man  and  wife.  No  doubt  she  had 
left  her  own  home  in  order  to  rid  herself  of  the  stigma 
which  she  had  brought  on  herself  by  her  lewd  conduct; 
and  at  midnight  she  had  eloped  from  the  bed,  leaving  the 
infant  to  the  paternal  care  of  her  pretendedjiusband. 

Immediate  search  was  made  for  the  mother  of  the 
child,  but  in  vain.  And,  as  the  song  says,  "  Single  mis 
fortunes  ne'er  come  alone,"  to  his  great  consternation 
and  grief,  she  had  taken  his  horse,  and  left  the  poor  pol 
itician  destitute  of  everything  except  a  fine  yellow  loy, 
but  of  a  widely  different  description  from  those  which 
Ben  ton  put  in  circulation. 

By  this  time  all  the  lodgers  in  the  tavern  had  got  up  and 
dres.-ed  themselves,  from  curiosity  to  know  the  occasion 
of  the  disturbance.  I  descended  to  the  street  in  front 
of  the  inn.  The  stars  were  faintly  glimmering  in  the 


THE    SINGER.  819 

he&v«ns,  and  the  first  beams  of  the  morning  sun  were 
struggling  through  the  dim  clouds  that  skirted  the  east 
ern  horizon.  I  thought  myself  alone  in  the  street,  when 
the  hush  of  morning  was  suddenly  broken  by  a  clear, 
Joyful,  and  musical  voice,  which  sang,  as  near  as  I  could 
catch  it,  the  following  scrap  of  a  song  : — 

"  Oh,  what  is  the  time  of  the  merry  round  year, 
^  That  is  fittest  and  sweetest  for  love? 

Ere  sucks  the  bee,  ere  buds  the  tree  ; 
And  primroses  by  two,  by  three, 
Faintly  shine  in  the  path  of  the  lonely  deer, 
Like  the  few  btare  of  twilight  above." 

I  turned  towards  the  spot  whence  the  sounds  pro 
ceeded,  and  discovered  a  tall  figure  leaning  against  the 
sign  post.  His  eyes  were  fixed  on  the  streaks  of  Jight 
in  the  east  ;  his  mind  was  absorbed,  and  he  was  clearly 
unconscious  of  any  one  being  near  him.  He  continued 
his  song  in  so  full  and  clear  a  tone  that  the  street  i\> 
echoed — 

"  When  the  blackbird  and  thrush,  at  early  dawn, 
Prelude  from  leafy  spray — 
Amid  dewy  scents  and  blandishments, 
Like  a  choir  attuning  their  instruments, 
Ere  the  curtain  of  nature  aside  be  drawn 
For  the  concert  the  live  long  day." 

I  now  drew  nigh  enough  to  see  him  distinctly.  He 
was  a  young  man,  not  more  than  twenty-two.  His  fig 
ure  was  light  and  graceful,  and  at  the  same  time  it  indi 
cated  strength  and  activity.  He  was  dressed  in  a  hunt 
ing  shirt.)  which  was  made  with  uncommon  neatness,  and 


820  THE    POLITICIAN   IN    A   RAGE. 

ornamented  tastily  with  fringe.  He  held  a  higHy  fin 
ished  rifle  in  his  right  hand,  and  a  hunting  pouch 
uovered  with  Indian  ornaments,  was  slung  across  hia 
shoulders.  His  clean  shirt  collar  was  open,  secured  only 
by  a  black  riband  around  his  neck.  His  boots  were 
polished  without  a  soil  upon  them  ;  and  on  his  head  was 
a  neat  fur  cap,  tossed  on  in  a  manner  which  said,  u  I 

don't   care  a  d n,"  just  as   plainly  as  any  cap  could 

speak  it.  I  thought  it  must  be  some  popinjay  of  a  lark, 
until  I  took  a  look  at  his  countenance.  It  was  hand 
some,  bright,  and  manly.  There  was  no  mistake  in  that 
face.  From  the  eyes  down  to  his  breast  he  was  sun 
burnt  as  dark  as  mahogany,  while  the  upper  part  of  hia 
high  forehead  was  as  white  and  polished  as  marble.  Thick 
clusters  of  black  hair  curled  from  under  his  cap.  I 
passed  on  unperceived,  and  he  continued  his  song : — 

"  In  the  green  spring-tide,  all  tender  and  bright, 
When  the  sun  sheds  a  kindlier  gleam 
O'er  the  velvet  bank,  that  sweet  flowers  prank, 
That  have  fresh  dews  and  sunbeams  drank — • 
Softest  and  most  chaste,  as  enchanted  light 
In  the  visions  of  maiden's  dream." 

The  poor  politician,  whose  misfortunes  had  roused  up 
the  inmuU'S  of  the  tuvt-rn  at  such  an  unusual  hour,  now 
returned  from  the  stable,  where  he  had  been  in  search 
of  his  horse  and  his  woman  ;  but  they  were  both  among 
the  missing.  He  held  a  whip  in  his  hand,  and  about  a 
dozen  men  followed  him,  some  from  curiosity  to  see  the 
result  of  the  adventure,  and  others  from  better  feelings. 
As  he  drew  nigh  to  the  front  of  the  tavern,  chafing  with 
mortification  at  both  his  shame  and  his  loss,  his  rage  in- 


A  BRISK   CONVERSATION.  821 

greasing  to  a  flame  as  his  windy  exclamations  became 
louder  and  louder,  lie  chanced  to  espy  the  fantastic  per 
sonage  I  have  just  described,  still  leaning  against  t^ie 
sign  post,  carelessly  humming  his  song,  but  in  a  luwer 
tone,  as  he  perceived  he  was  not  alone. 

The  irritated  politician  no  sooner  saw  the  stranger 
against  the  sign  post,  whose  self-satisfied  air  was  in  stri 
king  contrast  with  the  excited  feelings  of  the  other,  than 
he  paused  for  a  moment,  appeared  to  recognize  him  ;  then 
coming  up  in  a  blustering  manner,  and  assuming  a 
threatening  attitude,  he  exclaimed  fiercely, 

"  You're  an  infernal  scoundrel,  do  you  hear  ?  an  in 
fernal  scoundrel,  sir  !" 

"  I  do  ;  but  it's  news  to  me,"  replied  the  other  quietly. 

"  News,  you  scoundrel !  do  you  call  it  news  ?" 

"Entirely  so." 

"  You  needn't  think  to  carry  it  off  so  quietly.  I  say, 
you're  an  infernal  scoundrel,  and  I'll  prove  it.'* 

"  I  beg  you  will  not ;  I  shouldn't  like  to  be  proved  a 
scoundrel,"  replied  the  other,  smiling  with  the  most  pro 
voking  indifference. 

"  No,  I  dare  say  you  wouldn't.  But  answer  me  di 
rectly — did  you,  or  did  you  not  say,  in  presence  of  cer 
tain  ladies  of  my  acquaintance,  that  I  was  a  mere — " 

"  Calf  ? — 0,  no,  sir ;  the  truth  is  not  to  be  spoken  at 
all  times." 

"  The  truth  !  Do  you  presume  to  call  me  a  calf, 
sir  ?" 

"  0,  no,  sir  ;  I  call  you nothing,"  replied  tho 

stranger,  just  as  cool  and  as  pleasant  as  a  morning  in 

spring 

21 


822  A  BLUSTERER. 

"  It's  well  you  do ;  for  if  you  had  presumed  to  call 
mo " 

"  A  man,  I  should  have  been  grossly  mistaken." 

"  Do  you  mean  to  say  I  am  not  a  man,  sir  ?" 

"  That  depends  upon  circumstances." 

"  What  circumstances  ?"  demanded  the  other  fiercely. 

"  If  I  should  be  called  as  an  evidence  in  a  court  of 
justice,  I  should  be  bound  to  speak  the  truth/' 

"  And  you  would  say  I  was  not  a  man,  hey  ?  Do  you 
see  this  cow-skin  ?" 

"  Yes  ;  and  I  have  seen  it  with  surprise  ever  since  you 
3am  e  up,"  replied  the  stranger,  calmly,  at  the  same  time 
handing  me  his  rifle  to  take  care  of. 

"  With  surprise  !"  exclaimed  the  politician,  who  saw 
that  his  antagonist  had  voluntarily  disarmed  himself. 
"  Why,  did  you  suppose  that  I  was  such  a  coward  that  I 
dare  not  use  the  article  when  I  thought  it  was  de 
manded  ?" 

"  Shall  I  tell  you  what  I  thought  ?" 

"Do,  if  you  dare." 

"  I  thought  to  myself  what  use  has  a  calf  for  a  cow* 
skin  ?"  He  turned  to  me,  and  said,  "  I  had  forgot,  Col 
onel,  shall  I  trouble  you  to  take  care  of  this  also  ?'; 
Saying  which  he  drew  a  long  hunting  knife  from  his  belt, 
an!  placed  it  in  my  hand.  He  then  resumed  his  care 
less  attitude  against  the  sign  post. 

"  You  distinctly  call  me  a  calf,  then  ?" 

u  If  you  insist  upon  it,  you  may." 

"  You  hear,  gentlemen,"  said  he,  spiking  to  the  by 
standers.  "  Do  you  hear  the  insult?  WW  shall  I  do 
with  the  scoundrel  ?" 


A   BLUSTERER.  82$ 

44 Dross  him,  dress  him!"  exclaimed  twenty  voices^ 
with  shouts  and  laughter. 

"  That  I'll  do  at  once  !"  Then,  turning  to  the  stran 
ger,  he  cried  out  fiercely,  "  Come  one  step  this  way,  you 
rascal,  and  I'll  flog  you  within  an  inch  of  your  life." 

"  I've  no  occasion." 

"  You're  a  coward." 

"  Not  on  your  word." 

"I'll  prove  it  by  flogging  you  out  of  your  skin." 

"  I  doubt  it." 

"  I  am  a  liar,  then,  am  I  ?" 

"Just  as  you  please." 

"  Do  you  hear  that,  gentlemen  ?" 

"  Ay,  we  hear,"  was  the  unanimous  response.  "You 
can't  avoid  dressing  him  now." 

"  0  heavens  !  grant  me  patience  !  I  shall  fly  out  of 
my  skin." 

"  It  will  be  so  much  the  better  for  your  pocket ;  calf 
skins  are  in  good  demand." 

"  I  shall  burst." 

"  Not  here  in  the  street,  I  beg  of  you.  It  would  be 
disgusting." 

"  Gentlemen,  can  I  any  longer  avoid  flogging  him  ?" 

"Not  if  you  are  able,"  was  the  reply.  "Go  at 
h'm." 

Thus  provoked,  thus  stirred  up,  and  enraged,  the 
fierce  politician  went  like  lightning  at  his  provoking  an 
tagonist.  But  before  he  could  strike  a  blow  he  found 
himself  disarmed  of  his  cow-skin,  and  lying  on  his  back 
wilder  the  spout  of  a  -neighboring  pump,  whither  the 
£  man  had  carried  him  to  cool  his  rage,  and  Itforc 


524  THE   BEE   HUNTER. 

he  could  recover  from  his  astonishment  at  such  unex 
pected  handling,  he  was  as  wet  as  a  thrice  drowned  rat, 
from  the  cataracts  of  water  which  his  laughing  antago 
nist  had  liberally  pumped  upon  him.  His  courage,  by 
this  time,  had  fairly  oozed  out ;  and  he  declared,  as  he 
arose  and  went  dripping  away  from  the  pumn,  that  he 
would  never  again  trust  to  quiet  appearances,  and  that 
the  devil  himself  might,  the  next  time,  undertake  to  cow- 
skin  such  a  cucumber-blooded  scoundrel  for  him.  The 
bystanders  laughed  heartily.  The  politician  now  went 
in  pursuit  of  his  horse  and  his  woman,  taking  his  yellow  boy 
with  him  ;  and  the  landlady  declared  that  he  richly  de 
served  what  he  had  got,  even  if  he  had  been  guilty  of  no 
other  offence  than  the  dirty  imposition  he  had  practiced 
on  her. 

The  stranger  now  came  to  me,  and  calling  me  by  name, 
asked  for  his  rifle  and  knife,  which  I  returned  to  him.  I 
expressed  some  astonishment  at  being  known  to  him,  and 
he  said  that  he  had  heard  of  my  being  in  the  village,  and 
had  sought  me  out  for  the  purpose  of  accompanying  me 
to  Texas.  He  told  me  that  he  was  a  bee  hunter  :  that 
he  had  travelled  pretty  much  over  that  country  in  the 
way  of  his  business,  and  that  I  would  find  him  of  consid 
erable  use  in  navigating  through  the  ocean  of  prairies. 

He  told  me  that  honey-trees  are  abundant  in  Texas, 
and  that  honey  of  an  excellent  quality,  and  in  any  quan 
tity,  may  be  obtained  from  them.  There  are  persons 
ydio  have  a  peculiar  tact  in  coursing  the  bee,  and  thus 
discovering  their  deposits  of  the  luscious  food.  This 
employment  is  not  a  mere  pastime,  but  is  profitable. 
The  wax  alone,  thus  obtained,  is  a  valuable  article  of 


THIMBLERIG    AND   THE   BEE   HUNTER.  32J 

commerce  in  Mexico,  and  commands  a  high  price.  It  if 
much  used  in  churches,  where  some  of  the  candles  mad* 
use  of  are  as  long  as  a  man's  arm.  It  often  happeni 
that  the  hunters  throw  away  the  honey,  and  save  onij 
the  wax. 

"It  is  a  curious  fact,"  said  the  bee  hunter,  "in  the 
natural  history  of  the  bee,  that  it  is  never  found  in  a 
wild  country,  but  always  precedes  civilization,  forming  a 
kind  of  advance  guard  between  the  white  man  and  the 
savage.  The  Indians,  at  least,  are  perfectly  convinced 
of  this  fact,  for  it  is  a  common  remark  among  them, 
when  they  observe  these  insects,  '  There  come  the  white 
men.'" 

Thimblerig  came  up,  and  the  bee  hunter  spoke  to  him, 
calling  him  by  name,  for  he  had  met  with  him  in  New 
Orleans.  I  told  him  that  the  conjurer  had  determined 
to  accompany  me  also,  at  which  he  seemed  well  pleased, 
and  encouraged  the  poor  fellow  to  adhere  to  that  resolu 
tion  ;  for  he  would  be  a  man  among  men  in  Texas,  and 
no  one  would  be  very  particular  in  inquiring  about  his 
fortunes  in  the  States.  If  once  there,  he  might  boldly 
stand  up  and  feed  out  of  the  same  rack  with  the  rest. 

I  asked  him  what  was  his  cause  of  quarrel  with  the 
politician,  and  he  told  me  that  he  had  met  him  a  few 
weeks  before  down  at  Baton  Rouge,  where  the  fellow  was 
going  the  big  figure,  and  that  he  had  exposed  him  to 
some  ladies,  which  completely  cut  his  comb,  and  he  took 
wing  ;  that  this  was  the  first  time  they  had  met  since, 
and  being  determined  to  have  his  revenge,  he  had  at 
tacked  him  without  first  calculating  consequences. 


826  START   FOR   NACOGDOCHES. 

With  the  assistance  of  our  new  friend,  who  was  a  gen 
erous,  pleasant  fellow,  we  procured  a  horse  and  rifle  for 
Thimblerig,  and  we  started  for  Nacogdoches.  which  is 
about  one  hundred  and  twenty  miles  west  of  Matchito- 
cbes,  under  the  guidance  of  the  bee  hunter. 


CHAPTER    XXXI. 


llonte  to  Nacogdoches  —  Accomplishments  of  the  Bee  Hanter  —  Story 
of  Andrew  Tumlinson  —  His  death  —  Society  in  Texas  —  Arrival  at 
Nacogdoches  —  Account  of  that  place  —  Scene  between  the  Bee 
Hunter  and  his  lady-love  —  Departure  from  Nacogdoches. 

OUR  route,  which  lay  along  what  is  called  the  old 
Spanish  road,  I  found  to  be  much  better  defined  on  the 
map  than  upon  the  face  of  the  country.  We  had,  in 
many  instances,  no  other  guide  to  the  path  than  the 
blazes  on  the  trees.  The  Bee  hunter  was  a  cheerful,  com 
municative  companion,  and  by  his  pleasant  conversation, 
rendered  our  journey  anything  but  fatiguing.  He  knew 
all  about  the  country,  had  undergone  a  variety  of  adven 
ture,  and  described  what  he  had  witnessed  with  such 
freshness,  and  so  graphically,  that  if  I  could  only  remem 
ber  one  half  he  told  me  about  the  droves  of  wild  horses, 
buffalo,  various  birds,  beautiful  scenery  of  the  wide- 
spreading  and  fertile  prairies,  and  his  adventures  with 
the  roving  tribes  of  Indians,  I  should  fill  my  book,  I  am 
sure,  much  more  agreeably  than  I  shall  be  able  to  do  on 
my  own  hook.  When  he'd  get  tired,  of  talking,  he'd 
commence  singing,  and  his  list  of  songs  seemed  to  be  as 
long  as  a  rainy  Sunday.  He  had  a  fine,  clear  voice,  and 
though  I  have  heard  the  Woods  sing  at  the  Park  The 

atre.  in  New  York.  I  must  give  the  Bee  hunter  the  pre- 

027  ) 


328  INDIAN  ADVENTURE. 

forence  over  all  I  haye  ever  heard,  except  my  friend  Jim 
Crow,  who,  it  must  be  allowed,  is  a  real  steamboat  at  the 
business,  and  goes  a  leetle  ahead  of  anything  that  will 
come  after  him. 

He  gave  me,  among  other  matters,  the  following  ac 
count  of  a  rencounter  between  one  of  the  early  settlers 
and  the  Indians  : — 

"  Andrew  Tumlinson,"  said  he,  "belonged  to  a  family 
which  the  colonists  of  De  Witt  will  long  remember  as  one 
of  their  chief  stays  in  the  dangers  of  settling  those  wilds 
trod  only  by  the  children  of  the  forest.  This  indefati 
gable  champion  of  revenge  for  his  father's  death,  who 
had  fallen  some  years  before  by  Indian  treachery,  had 
vowed  never  to  rest  until  he  had  received  satisfaction. 
In  order  the  better  to  accomplish  his  end,  he  was  one  of 
the  foremost,  if  possible,  in  every  skirmish  with  the  In 
dians  ;  and  that  he  might  be  enabled  to  do  so  without 
restraint,  he  placed  his  wife  under  the  care  of  his  bro 
ther-in-law,  shouldered  his  rifle  and  headed  a  ranging 
party,  who  were  resolved  to  secure  peace  to  those  who 
followed  them,  though  purchased  by  their  own  death. 

"  He  had  been  frequently  victorious  in  the  most  des 
perate  fights,  where  the  odds  were  greatly  against  him, 
anl  at  last  fell  a  victim  to  his  own  imprudence.  A 
Caddo  had  been  seized  as  a  spy,  and  threatened  with 
death,  in  order  to  compel  him  to  deliver  up  his  knife. 
The  fellow  never  moved  a  muscle,  or  even  winked,  as  he 
beheld  the  rifles  pointed  at  him.  He  had  been  found 
lurking  in  the  yard  attached  to  the  house  of  a  solitary 
and  unprotected  family,  and  he  knew  that  the  whites 
were  exasperated  at  his  tribe  for  injuries  that  they  had 


DEATH   OF   TUMLINSON.  829 

committed.  When  discovered  he  was  accompanied  by 
his  little  son. 

"  Tumlinson  spoke  to  him  in  Spanish,  to  learn  what 
had  brought  him  there  at  such  a  time,  but  instead  of 
giving  any  satisfaction,  he  sprung  to  his  feet,  from  the 
log  where  he  was  seated,  at  the  same  time  seizing  his 
rifle,  which  was  lying  beside  him.  The  owner  of  the 
house,  with  whom  the  Indian  had  been  on  a  friendly 
footing,  expostulated  with  him,  and  got  him  to  surrender 
the  gun,  telling  him  that  the  whites  only  wished  to  be 
satisfied  of  his  friendly  intentions,  and  had  no  desire  to 
injure  one  who  might  be  useful  in  conciliating  his  red 
brethren. 

"  He  appeared  to  acquiesce,  and  wrapping  his  blanket 
more  closely  around  his  body,  moved  on  in  silence  ahead 
of  the  whites.  Tumlinson  approached  him,  and  though 
the  rest  of  the  party  privately  cautioned  him  not  to  go 
too  nigh,  as  they  believed  the  Indian  had  a  knife  under 
his  blanket,  he  disregarded  the  warning,  trusting  for 
safety  to  his  rifle  and  dexterity. 

"  He  continued  to  interrogate  the  captive  until  he 
awakened  his  suspicions  that  his  life  was  not  safe.  The 
Indian  returned  no  answer  but  a  short  caustic  laugh  at 
the  end  of  every  question.  Tumlinson  at  length  beheld 
his  countenance  become  more  savage,  which  was  followed 
by  a  sudden  movement  of  the  right  hand  beneath  his 
blanket  lie  fired,  and  the  next  instant  the  Caddo's 
knife  was  in  his  heart,  for  the  savage  sprung  with  the 
quickness  cf  the  wild  cat  upon  his  prey.  The  rifle  bail 
had  passed  through  the  Indian's  body,  yet  his  victim 
appeared  to  be  no  more  in  his  grasp  than  a  sparrow  ja 


530  SOCIETY  IN   TEXAS. 

the  talons  of  an  eagle,  for  he  was  a  man  of  gigantic 
frame,  and  he  knew  that  not  only  his  own  life,  but  that 
of  his  little  son,  would  be  taken  on  the  spot.  He  called 
to  the  boy  to  fly,  while  he  continued  to  plunge  his  knife 
into  the  bosom  of  his  prostrate  victim.  The  rest  of  the 
party  leveled  their  rifles,  and  the  victor  shouted,  with 
an  air  of  triumph, — <  Do  your  worst.  I  have  sacrificed 
another  pale-face  to  the  spirits  of  my  fathers.'  They 
fired,  and  he  fell  dead  across  the  Body  of  the  unfortu 
nate  Tumlinson.  The  poor  boy  fell  also.  He  had 
sprung  forward  ^ome  distance,  when  his  father  was  shot, 
and  was  running  in  a  zigzag  manner,  taught  them  in 
their  youth,  to  avoid  the  balls  of  their  enemies,  by  ren 
dering  it  difficult  for  the  best  marksman  to  draw  a  sight 
upon  them." 

In  order  to  afford  me  some  idea  of  the  state  of  soci 
ety  in  the  more  thickly  settled  parts  of  Texas,  the  Bee 
hunter  told  me  that  he  had  set  down  to  the  breakfast 
table  one  morning,  at  an  inn,  at  San  Felipe,  and  among 
the  small  party  around  the  board  were  eleven  who  had 
fled  from  the  States  charged  with  having  committed 
murder.  So  accustomed  are  the  inhabitants  to  the  ap 
pearance  of  fugitives  from  justice,  that  they  are  particu- 
lirly  careful  to  make  inquiries  of  the  characters  of 
new-comers,  and  generally  obtain  early  and  circum 
stantial  information  concerning  strangers.  "  Indeed," 
said  he,  u  it  is  very  common  to  hear  the  inquiry  made, 
*  What  did  he  do  that  made  him  leave  home  ?'  or,  *  What 
have  you  come  to  Texas  for?'  intimating  almost  an  as 
surance  of  one's  being  a  criminal.  Notwithstanding  this 
state  of  things,  however,  the  good  of  the  public,  and  of 


REACH    NACOGDOCHES.  831 

each  individual,  is  so  evidently  dependent  on  the  puhlic 
morals,  that  all  appear  ready  to  discountenance  and 
punish  crime.  Even  men  who  have  been  expatriated 
by  fear  of  justice,  are  here  among  the  last  who  would 
be  disposed  to  shield  a  culprit  guilty  of  a  crime  against 
life  or  property." 

Thimblerig  was  delighted  at  this  favorable  account  of 
the  state  of  society,  and  said  that  it  would  be  the  very 
place  for  him  to  flourish  in  ;  he  liked  their  liberal  way 
of  thinking,  for  it  did  not  at  all  tally  with  his  ideas  of 
natural  law,  that  a  man  who  happened  to  give  offence  to 
the  straight  laced  rules  of  action  established  by  a  set  of 
people  contracted  in  their  notions,  should  be  hunted  out 
of  all  society,  even  though  willing  to  conform  to  their 
regulations.  He  was  lawyer  enough,  he  said,  to  know 
that  every  offence  should  be  tried  on  the  spot  where  it  was 
committed ;  and  if  he  had  stolen  the  pennies  from  his 
grandmother's  eyes  in  Louisiana,  the  people  in  Texas 
would  have  nothing  to  do  with  that  affair,  nohow  they 
could  fix  it.  The  dejected  conjurer  pricked  up  his  ears, 
and  from  that  moment  was  as  gay  and  cheerful  as  a  blue 
bird  in  spring. 

As  we  approached  Nacogdoches.  the  first  object  that* 
struck  our  view,  was  a  flag  flying  at  the  top  of  a  high 
liberty  pole.  Drums  were  beating,  and  fifes  playing. 
giving  an  indication,  not  to  be  misunderstood,  of  the 
spirit  that  had  been  awakened  in  a  comparative  desert. 
The  people  of  the  town  no  sooner  saw  us  than  many  came 
out  to  meet  us.  The  Bee  hunter,  who  was  known  to 
them,  introduced  mo  ;  and  it  seems  that  they  had  already 


332  NACOGDOCHES 

received  the  news  of  my  intended  visit,  and  its  object, 
and  I  met  with  a  cordial  and  friendly  reception. 

Nacogdoches  is  the  capitol  of  the  department  of  that 
name,  and  it  is  situated  about  sixty  miles  west  of  the 
river  Sabine,  in  a  romantic  dell,  surrounded  by  woody 
bluffs  of  considerable  eminence,  within  whose  inner  bor 
ders,  in  a  semicircle  embracing  the  town,  flow  the  twc 
forks  of  the  Nana,  a  branch  of  the  Naches.  It  is  a  flour 
ishing  town,  containing  about  one  thousand  actual  citi 
zens,  although  it  generally  presents  twice  that  number 
on  account  of  its  extensive  inland  trade,  one-half  of 
which  is  supported  by  the  friendly  Indians.  The 
healthiness  of  this  town  yields  to  none  in  the  province, 
except  Bexar,  and  to  none  whatsoever  south  of  the  same 
latitude,  between  the  Sabine  and  the  Mississippi.  There 
was  a  fort  established  here,  by  the  French,  as  far  back 
as  the  year  1717,  in  order  to  overawe  the  wandering 
tribes  of  red  men,  between  their  borders  and  the  colo 
nists  of  Great  Britain.  The  soil  around  it  is  of  an  easy 
nature  and  well  adapted  to  cultivation. 

I  passed  the  day  at  Nacogdoches  in  getting  informa 
tion  from  the  principal  patriots  as  to  the  grievances  im 
posed  upon  them  by  the  Mexican  government ;  and  I 
passed  the  time  very  pleasantly,  but  I  rather  reckon  not 
quite  so  much  as  my  friend  the  Bee  hunter.  In  the 
evening,  as  I  had  missed  him  for  several  hours,  while  I 
was  attending  the  affairs  of  the  patriots,  I  inquired  for 
my  companion,  and  was  drjcted  by  the  landlord,  to  an 
apartment  appropriated  to  his  family,  and  accordingly  I 
pushed  ahead.  Before  I  reached  the  door,  I  heard  tbe 


THE  BEE  HUNTER  AND  KATE.         333 

joyous  and  musical  voice  of  the  young  rover  singing  as 
usual. 

*  I'd  like  to  have  a  little  farm, 

And  leave  such  scenes  as  these, 
Where  I  could  live,  without  a  care, 

Completely  at  my  ease. 
I'd  like  to  have  a  pleasant  house 

Upon  my  little  farm, 
Airy  and  cool  in  summer  time, 

In  winter  close  and  warm." 

"  And  is  there  nothing  else  you'd  like  to  have  to  make 
you  happy,  Edward  ?"  demanded  a  gentle  voice,  which 
sounded  even  more  musical  in  my  ear  than  that  of  the 
Bee  hunter. 

"  Yes,  in  good  faith  there  is,  my  gentle  Kate  ;  and  I'll 
tell  you  what  it  is,"  he  exclaimed,  and  resumed  his 
song  :— 

"  I'd  like  to  have  a  little  wife — 

I  reckon  I  know  who  ; 
I'd  like  to  have  a  little  son— 

A  little  daughter  too  ; 
And  when  they'd  climb  upon  my  knee, 

I'd  like  a  little  toy 
To  give  my  pretty  little  girl, 

Another  for  my  boy." 

"  0,  fie,  for  shame  of  you  to  talk  so,  Edward  !"  ex 
claimed  the  same  gentle  voice. 

"  Well,  my  pretty  Kate,  if  you'll  only  listen,  now  111 
tell  you  what  I  wouldn't  like." 

44  Let  me  hear  that,  by  all  means." 


834  SCENE   AT    A    TAVERN. 

I  shouJd  not  like  my  wife  to  shako 

A  broomstick  at  my  head — 
For  then  ]  mi«rht  be»5n  to  think 

8he  did  not  love  her  Ned  ; 
But  I  should  always  like  to  see 

Her  gentle  as  a  dove; 
I  should  not  like  to  have  her  scold — 

But  be  all  joy  and  love." 

"  And  there  is  not  much  danger,  Edward,  of  her  ever 
being  otherwise." 

"Bless  your  sweet  lips,  that  I  am  certain  of,"  ex 
claimed  the  Bee  hunter,  and  I  heard  something  that 
sounded  marvelously  like  a  kiss.  But  he  resumed  his 
song : — 

"  If  T  had  these  T  would  not  ask 

For  anything  beside; 
I'd  be  content  thus  smoothly  through 

The  tedious  world  to  jrlide. 
My  little  wile  and  I  would  then 

No  earthly  troubles  see — 
Surrounded  by  our  littte  ones, 

How  happy  we  would  be  !" 

I  have  always  endeavored  to  act  up  to  the  golden  rule 
of  doing  as  I  would  be  done  by,  and  as  I  never  liked  to 
be  interrupted  on  such  occasions,  I  returned  to  the  bar 
room,  where  I  found  Thimblerig  seated  on  a  table  p.  ac- 
ticing  with  his  thimbles,  his  large  white  Vicksburg  h  t 
stuck  up  in  a  most  independent  manner  on  the  side  of 
his  head.  About  half  a  dozen  men  were  looking  on 
with  amazement  at  his  skill,  but  he  got  no  bets.  When 
he  caught  my  eye,  his  countenance  became  sort  of  c-on- 
fueed,  and  he  hastily  thrust  the  thimbles  into  his  pocket. 


KATE.  83* 

saying,  as  he  jumped  from  the  table,  "Just  amusing  my- 
self  a  little,  Colonel,  to  kill  time,  and  show  the  nntives» 
that  some  things  can  be  done  as  well  as  others.  Let  u? 
take  an  ideer."  So  we  walked  up  to  the  bar,  to)k  a 
nip,  and  let  the  matter  drop. 

My  horse  had  become  lame,  and  I  found  I  would  not 
be  able  to  proceed  with  him,  so  I  concluded  to  sell  him 
and  get  another.  A  gentleman  offered  to  give  me  a 
mustang  in  exchange,  and  I  gladly  accepted  of  his  kind 
ness.  The  mustangs  are  the  wild  horses,  that  are  to  be 
seen  in  droves  of  thousands  pasturing  on  the  prairies. 
They  are  taken  by  means  of  a  lasso,  a  long  rope  with  a 
noose,  which  is  thrown  around  their  necks,  and  they  are 
dragged  to  the  ground  with  violence,  and  then  secured. 
These  horses,  which  are  considerably  smaller  than  those 
in  the  States,  are  very  cheap,  and  are  in  such  numbers 
that  in  times  of  scarcity  of  game  the  settlers  and  the  In 
dians  have  made  use  of  them  as  food.  Thousands  have 
been  destroyed  for  this  purpose. 

I  saw  nothing  of  the  Bee  hunter  until  bed-time,  and 
then  I  said  nothing  to  him  about  what  I  had  overheard. 
The  next  morning,  as  we  were  preparing  for  an  early 
start,  I  went  into  the  private  apartment  where  my  com 
panion  was,  but  he  did  not  appear  quite  as  cheerful  as 
usual.  Shortly  afterward,  a  young  woman,  about  eigh 
teen,  entered  the  room.  She  was  as  healthy  and  bloom 
ing  as  the  wild  flowers  of  the  prairie.  My  companion 
inti  educed  me,  she  courtesied  modestly,  and  turning  to 
the  Bee  hunter,  said,  "  Edward,  I  have  made  you  a  new 
deer-skin  sack  since  you  were  last  here.  Will  you  take 
it  >ith  you?  Your  old  one  is  so  soiled." 


836  KATE. 

"  No,  no,  dear  Kate,  I  shall  not  have  leisure  to  gather 
wax  this  time." 

"  I  have  not  yet  shown  you  the  fine  large  gourd  that 
I  have  slung  for  you.  It  will  hold  near  a  gallon  of  wa 
ter/'  She  went  to  a  closet,  and  producing  it,  suspended 
it  around  his  shoulders. 

"  My  own  kind  Kate  !"  he  exclaimed,  and  looked  as 
if  he  would  devour  her  with  his  eyes. 

"  Have  I  forgotten  any  thing  ?  Ah  !  yes,  your 
books."  She  ran  to  a  closet,  and  brought  out  two  small 
volumes. 

"  One  is  sufficient  this  time,  Kate — my  Bible.  I  will 
leave  the  poet  with  you."  She  placed  it  in  his  hunting 
bag,  saying, 

"  You  will  find  here  some  biscuit  and  deer  sinews,  in 
case  you  should  get  bewildered  in  the  prairies.  You 
knoTfi  you  lost  your  way  the  last  time,  and  were  nearly 
famished." 

"  Kind  and  considerate  Kate." 

I  began  to  find  out  that  I  was  a  sort  of  fifth  wheel  to 
the  wagon,  so  I  went  to  the  front  of  the  tavern  to  see 
about  starting.  There  was  a  considerable  crowd  there, 
and  I  made  thorn  a  short  address  on  the  occasion.  I  told 
them,  among  other  things,  that  "  I  will  die  with  my  Betsey 
in  my  arms.  No,  I  will  not  die — I'll  grin  down  the 
walls  of  the  Alamo,  and  the  Americans  will  lick  up  the 
Mexicans  like  fine  salt." 

I  mounted  my  little  mustang,  and  my  legs  nearly 
reached  the  ground.  The  thimble  conjurer  was  also 
ready ;  at  length  the  Bee  hunter  made  his  appearance, 
followed  by  his  sweetheart,  whose  eyes  looked  as  though 


DEPARTURE  FROM  NACOGDOCHES.       337 

she  had  been  weeping.  He  took  a  cordial  leave  of  all 
his  friends,  for  he  appeared  to  be  a  general  favorite ;  he 
then  approached  Kate,  kissed  her,  and  leaped  upon  his 
horse.  He  tried  to  conceal  his  emotion  by  singing,  care 
lessly, 

"Saddled  and  bridled,  and  booted  rode  be, 
A  plume  in  his  helmet,  a  sword  at  his  knee.'* 

The  tremulous  and  plaintive  voice  of  Kate  took  up 
the  next  two  lines  of  the  song,  which  sounded  like  a 
prophecy : 

*  But  loom  cam'  the  saddle,  all  bluidy  to  see, 
And  hame  cam'  the  steed,  but  hame  never  cam'  he." 

We  started  off  rapidly,  and  left  Nacogdoches  amid  the 
cheering  of  true  patriots  and  kind  friends.* 

*  The  story  of  the  Bee  hunter  and  his  lady  love  forms  one  of  the 
most  agreeable  episodes  in  this  portion  of  the  Colonel's  narrative.  Th« 
Bee  hunter  is  a  very  original  and  spirited  character,  of  whom  the 
reader  is  deutined  to  meet  with  still  more  interesting  particulars  in 
the  sequel. 
22 


CHAPTER   XXXII. 

Iccidents  on  the  road — Tricks  upon  travelers — The  mad  dog  h  *ax— 
Another  curious  trick — Cane  brake — Wolves  and  gam..;  —  The 
party  joined  by  one  of  Lafitte's  pirates  and  an  Indian  hunter- 
Scene  at  the  dinner  table — Sudden  disappearance  of  the  Bee  hunter 
—The  party  encounter  an  immense  herd  of  buffaloes — The  Colonel 
gives  chase — Gets  lost — Falls  in  with  a  herd  of  mustangs — A  race 
with  the  mustangs — Beaches  the  Navasola  river  where  the  mus 
tangs  leave  him. 

AN  hour  or  two  elapsed  before  the  Bee  hunter  recov 
ered  his  usual  spirits,  after  parting  from  his  kind  little 
Kate  of  Nacogdoches.  The  conjurer  rallied  him  good- 
humoredly,  and  had  become  quite  a  different  man  from 
what  he  was  on  the  west  side  of  the  Sabine.  He  sat 
erect  in  his  saddle,  stuck  his  large  white  Vicksburger 
conceitedly  on  his  bushy  head,  carried  his  rifle  with  aa 
much  ease  and  grace  as  if  he  had  been  used  to  the  wea 
pon,  and  altogether  he  assumed  an  air  of  impudence  and 
independence  which  showed  that  he  had  now  a  soul  above 
thimbles.  The  Bee  hunter  at  length  recovered  his  spirits, 
and  commenced  talking  very  pleasantly,  for  the  matters 
he  related  were  for  the  most  part  new  to  me. 

My  companions,  by  way  of  beguiling  the  tediousness  of 
our  journey,  repeatedly  played  tricks  upon  each  oth^r,, 
which  were  taken  in  good  part.  One  of  them  I  will  re 
late.  We  had  observed  .that  the  Bee  hunter  always  dia- 
(338) 


MAD   DOG   TRICK.  83* 

appeared  on  stopping  at  a  house,  running  in  to  talk  with 
the  inhabitants  and  ingratiate  himself  with  the  women, 
leaving  us  to  take  care  of  the  horses.  On  reaching  our 
stopping  place  at  night  he  left  us  as  usual,  and  while  we 
were  rubbing  down  our  mustangs,  and  hobbling  them,  a 
negro  boy  came  out  of  the  house  with  orders  from  our 
companion  within  to  see  to  his  horse.  Thiinblerig,  who 
possessed  a  good  share  of  roguish  ingenuity,  after  some 
inquiries  about  the  gentleman  in  the  house,  how  he 
looked  and  what  he  was  doing,  told  the  boy,  in  rather  a 
low  voice,  that  he  had  better  not  come  nearer  to  him  than 
was  necessary,  for  it  was  possible  he  might  hurt  him,  though 
still  he  didn't  think  he  would.  The  boy  asked  why  he 
need  be  afraid  of  him.  He  replied  he  did  not  certainly 
know  that  there  was  any  reason — he  hoped  there  was 
none — but  the  man  had  been  bitten  by  a  mad  dog,  and 
it  was  rather  uncertain  whether  he  was  not  growing  mad 
himself.  Still,  he  would  not  alarm  the  boy,  but  cautioned 
him  not  to  be  afraid,  for  there  might  be  no  danger,  though 
there  was  something  rather  strange  in  the  conduct  of  his 
poor  friend.  This  was  enough  for  the  boy ;  he  was  al 
most  afraid  to  touch  the  horse  of  such  a  man,  and  when, 
a  moment  afterward,  our  companion  came  out  of  the 
house,  he  slunk  away  behind  the  horse,  and  thoug'i  he- 
was  in  a  great  hurry  to  get  him  unsaddled,  kept  his  eyes 
fixed  steadily  on  the  owner,  closely  watching  his  motions. 
"Take  off  that  bridle,"  exclaimed  the  impatient  Bee 
hunter,  in  a  stern  voice:  and  the  black  boy  sprung  off, 
and  darted  away  as  fast  as  his  feet  could  carry  him, 
inich  to  the  vexation  and  surprise  of  our  companion,  who 
ran  after  him  a  little  distance,  but  could  in  no  way  ac- 


840  MAD   DOG    TRICK. 

count  for  his  singular  and  provoking  conduct.  W!JCL  we 
entered  tne  house,  things  appeared  a  great  deal  more 
strange ;  for  the  negro  had  rushed  hastily  into  the  midst 
of  the  family,  and  in  his  terrified  state  communicated  the 
alarming  tale,  that  the  gentleman  had  been  bitten  by  a 
mad  dog.  He,  unconscious  all  the  time  of  the  trick  that 
was  playing  off,  endeavored,  as  usual,  to  render  himself 
as  agreeable  as  possible,  especially  to  the  females  with 
whom  he  had  already  formed  a  partial  acquaintance. 
We  could  see  that  they  looked  on  him  with  apprehension, 
and  retreated  whenever  he  approached  them.  One  of 
them  took  an  opportunity  to  inquire  of  Thimblerig  the 
truth  of  the  charge  ;  and  his  answer  confirmed  their  fears, 
and  redoubled  their  caution ;  though,  after  confessing 
with  apparent  candor,  that  his  friend  had  been  bitten,  he 
stated  that  there  was  no  certainty  of  evil  consequences, 
and  it  was  a  thing  which  of  course  could  not  be  men 
tioned  to^the  sufferer. 

As  b'%d  time  approached  the  mistress  of  the  house  ex 
pressed  her  fears,  lest  trouble  should  arise  in  the  night , 
for  the  house,  according  to  custom,  contained  but  two 
rooms,  v.nd  was  not  built  for  security.  She  therefore 
urged  us  to  sleep  between  him  and  the  door,  and  by  no 
meai  s  to  let  him  pass  us.  It  so  happened,  however,  that 
he  chose  to  sleep  next  the  door,  and  it  was  with  great 
difficulty  that  we  could  keep  their  fears  within  bounds. 
The  ill-disguised  alarm  of  the  whole  family  was  not  'ess 
a  source  of  merriment  to  him  who  had  been  the  cause, 
than  of  surprise  and  wonder  to  the  subject  of  it.  What 
ever  member  of  the  household  he  approached  promptly 
withdrew,  and  as  for  the  negro,  whenever  he  was  spoken 


MORE   TRICKS. 

fcj  by  him,  he  would  jump  and  roll  his  eyes.  In  the 
morning,  when  we  were  alout  to  depart, -we  commissioned 
our  belied  companion  to  pay  our  bill ;  but  as  he  ap 
proached  the  hostess  she  fled  from  him,  and  shut  the  door 
in  his  face.  "I  want  to  pay  our  bill,"  said  he.  "  Oh  ! 
if  you  will  only  leave  the  house,"  cried  she,  in  terror, 
"  you  are  welcome  to  your  lodging." 

The  jest,  however,  did  not  end  here.  The  Bee  hun 
ter  found  out  the  trick  that  had  been  played  upon  him, 
and  determined  to  retaliate.  As  we  were  about  mounting, 
the  conjurer's  big  white  Vicksburger  was  unaccountably 
missing,  and  nowhere  to  be  found.  He  was  not  alto 
gether  pleased  with  the  liberty  that  had  been  taken  with 
him,  and  after  searching  some  time  in  vain,  he  tied  a 
handkerchief  around  his  head,  sprung  upon  his  horse, 
and  rode  off  with  more  gravity  than  usual.  We  had  rode 
about  two  miles,  the  Bee  hunter  bantering  the  other  with 
a  story  of  his  hat  lying  in  pawn  at  the  house  we  had  left, 
and  urged  upon  him  to  return  and  redeem  it;  but  find 
ing  Thimblerig  out  of  humor,  and  resolved  not  to  return, 
he  began  to  repent  of  his  jest,  and  offered  to  go  back  and 
bring  it,  on  condition  that  the  past  should  be  forgotten 
and  there  should  be  no  more  retaliation.  The  other 
consented  to  the  terms,  s )  lighting  a  cigar  with  his  sun 
glass,  he  set  off  at  a  rapid  rate  on  his  return.  He  had 
not  beer  gone  long  before  I  presented  Thimblerig  with 
his  hat  for  I  had  seen  the  Bee  hunter  conceal  it,  and 
had  secretly  brought  it  along  with  me.  It  was  some  time 
before  our  absent  friend  overtook  us,  having  frightened 
all  the  family  away  by  his  sudden  return,  and  searched 
the  whole  house  without  success.  When  he  perceived 


CANE   BRAKE. 

the  object  of  his  ride  upon  the  head  of  the  conjurer,  and 
recollected  the  promise  by  which  he  had  bound  himself 
not  to  have  any  more  jesting,  he  could  only  exclaim, 
"  Well,  it's  hard,  but  it's  fair."  We  all  laughed  heartily, 
and  good  humor  was  once  again  restored. 

Cane  brakes  are  common  in  some  parts  of  Texas.  Our 
way  led  us  through  one  of  considerable  extent.  The 
frequent  passage  of  men  and  horses  had  kept  open  a  nar 
row  path  not  wide  enough  for  two  mustangs  to  pass  with 
convenience.  The  reeds,  the  same  as  are  used  in  the 
northern  states  as  fishing  rods,  had  grown  to  the  height 
of  about  twenty  feet,  and  were  so  slender,  that  having 
no  support  directly  over  the  path,  they  drooped  a  little 
inward,  and  intermingled  their  tops,  forming  a  complete 
covering  overhead.  We  rode  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile 
along  this  singular  arched  avenue  with  the  view  of  the 
sky  completely  shut  out.  The  Bee  hunter  told  me  that 
the  largest  brake  is  that  which  lines  the  banks  of  Caney 
Creek,  and  is  seventy  miles  in  length,  with  scarcely  a 
tree  to  be  seen  the  whole  distance.  The  reeds  are  eaten 
by  cattle  and  horses  in  the  winter  when  the  prairies  yield 
little  or  no  other  food. 

When  we  came  out  of  the  brake  we  saw  three  black 
wolves  jogging  like  dogs  ahead  of  us,  but  at  too  great  a 
distance  to  reach  th^m  with  a  rifle.  Wild  turkeys  and 
d^or  repeatedly  crossed  our  path,  and  we  saw  several 
droves  of  wild  horses  pasturing  in  the  prairies.  These 
eights  awakened  the  ruling  passion  strong  within  me,  and 
1  longed  to  have  a  hunt  upon  a  large  scale ;  for  though 
F  had  killed  many  bears  and  deer  in  my  time,  I  had 
never  brought  down  a  buffalo  in  all  my  life,  and  so  1  told 


THE   INDIAN.  343 

my  'rienJjj ;  but  they  tried  to  dissuade  me  from  it,  bv 
tell/og  me  that  I  would  certainly  lose  my  way,  and  per 
haps  perish  ;  for  though  it  appeared  as  a  cultivated  gar 
den  to  the  eye,  it  was  still  a  wilderness,  I  said  little 
more  on  the  subject  until  we  crossed  the  Trinidad  river, 
but  every  mile  we  traveled  I  found  the  temptation  grow 
stronger  and  stronger. 

The  night  after  we  crossed  the  river  we  fortunately 
found  shelter  in  the  house  of  a  poor  woman,  who  had 
little  out  the  barest  necessaries  to  offer  us.  While  we 
were  securing  our  horses  for  the  night  we  beheld  two 
men  approaching  the  house  on  foot.  They  were  both 
armed  with  rifles  and  hunting-knives,  and  though  I  have 
been  accustomed  to  the  sight  of  men  who  have  not  stepped 
far  over  the  line  of  civilization,  I  must  say  these  were 
just  about  the  roughest  samples  I  had  seen  any  where. 
One  was  a  man  of  about  fifty  years  old,  tall  and  raw- 
boned.  He  was  dressed  in  a  sailor's  round  jacket,  with 
a  tarpaulin  on  his  head.  His  whiskers  nearly  covered  his 
face ;  his  hair  was*coal  black  and  long,  and  there  was  a 
deep  scar  across  his  forehead,  and  another  on  the  back 
of  his  right  hand.  His  companion,  who  was  consider 
ably  younger,  was  bare-headed,  and  clad  in  a  deer-skin 
dress  made  after  our  fashion.  Though  he  was  not  much 
darker  than  the  old  man,  I  perceived  that  he  was  an  In 
dian.  They  spoke  friendly  to  the  Bee  hunter,  for  they 
both  knew  him,  and  said  they  were  on  their  way  to  join 
the  Texan  forces,  at  that  time  near  the  San  Antonio 
river.  Though  they  had  started  without  horses,  they 
reckoned  they  would  come  across  a  couple  before  they 
went  much  farther.  The  right  of  ownership  to  horse 


S44  THE   PIRATE. 

flesh  is  not  much  regarded  in  Texas,  for  those  that  have 
been  taken  from  the  wild  droves  are  soon  after  turned 
out  to  graze  on  the  prairies,  the  owner  having'  first 
branded  them  with  his  mark,  and  hobbled  them  by  tying 
their  fore  feet  together,  which  will  enable  another  to 
capture  them  just  as  readily  as  himself. 

The  old  woman  set  about  preparing  our  supper,  and 
apologized  for  the  homely  fare,  which  consisted  of  bacon 
and  fried  onions,  when  the  Indian  went  to  a  bag  and 
produced  a  number  of  eggs  of  wild  fowls,  and  a  brace 
of  fat  rabbits,  which  were  speedily  dressed,  and  we  made 
as  good  a  meal  as  a  hungry  man  need  wish  to  set  down 
to.  The  olcl  man  spoke  very  little  :  but  the  Indian,  who 
had  lived  much  among  the  whites,  was  talkative,  and 
manifested  much  impatience  to  arrive  at  the  army.  The 
first  opportunity  that  occurred  I  inquired  of  the  Bee 
hunter  who  our  new  friends  were,  and  he  told  me  that 
the  old  man  had  been  for  many  years  a  pirate  with  the 
famous  Lafitte,  and  that  the  Indian  was  a  hunter  beiong- 
ing  to  a  settler  near  Galveston  Bay.  I  had  seen  enough 
of  land  rats  at  Washington,  but  this  was  the  first  time 
that  I  was  ever  in  company  with  a  water  rat  to  my 
knowledge ;  however,  baiting  that  black  spot  on  his  es 
cutcheon,  he  was  a  well-behaved  and  inoifensive  man. 
Vice  does  not  appear  so  shocking  when  we  are  familiar 
with  the  perpetrator  of  it. 

Thimblerig  was  for  taking  airs  upon  himself  aftei 
learning  who  our  companions  were,  and  protested  to  me, 
that  he  would  not  sit  down  at  the  same  table  with  a  man 
who  had  outraged  the  laws  in  such  a  manner ; — foi  it 
was  due  to  society  th;it  honest  men  should  discounte- 


SCENE    AT   THE    DINNER   TABLE.  846 

nance  such  unprincipled  characters,  and  much  more  to 
the  same  effect ;  when  the  old  man  speedily  dissipated 
the  gambler's  indignant  feelings  by  calmly  saying, 
"  Stranger,  you  had  better  take  a  seat  at  the  table,  I 
think,"  at  the  same  time  drawing  a  long  hunting-knife 
from  his  belt,  and  laying  it  en  the  table.  "  I  think  you 
had  better  take  some  supper  with  us,"  he  added,  in  a 
mild  tone,  but  fixing  his  eye  sternly  upon  Thimblerig. 
The  conjurer  first  eyed  the  knife,  and  then  the  fierce 
whiskers  of  the  pirate,  and,  unlike  some  politicians,  he 
wasn't  long  in  making  up  his  mind  what  course  to  pur 
sue,  but  he  determined  to  vote  as  the  pirate  voted,  and 
said,  "  I  second  that  motion,  stranger,"  at  the  same  time 
seating  himself  on  the  bench  beside  me.  The  old  man 
then  commenced  cutting  up  the  meat,  for  which  purpose 
he  had  drawn  his  hunting-knife,  though  the  gambler  had 
thought  it  was  for  a  different  purpose ;  and  being  re 
lieved  from  his  fears,  everything  passed  off  quite  soci 
able. 

Early  the  following  morning  we  compensated  the  old 
woman  for  the  trouble  she  had  been  at,  and  we  mounted 
our  horses  and  pursued  our  journey,  our  new  friends 
following  on  foot,  but  promising  to  arrive  at  the  Alamo 
as  soon  as  we  should.  About  noon  we  stopped  to  re 
fresh  our  horses  beneath  a  cluster  of  trees  that  stood  in 
the  open  prairie,  and  I  again  spoke  of  my  longing  for  a 
buffalo  hunt.  We  were  all  seated  on  the  grass,  and 
they  strived  hard  to  dissuade  me  from  the  folly  of 
allowing  a  ruling  passion  to  lead  me  into  such  imminent 
danger  and  difficulty  as  I  must  necessarily  encounter. 
At  this  time,  while  they  were  running  down  my  weak- 


846  DISAPPEARANCE   OF   THE    BEE-HUNTER. 

ness,  as  they  called  it,  Thimblerig  was  amusing  himself 
with  his  eternal  thimbles  and  pea  upon  the  crown  of  hia 
big  white  hat.  I  could  not  refrain  from  laughing  out 
right  to  see  with  what  gravity  and  apparent  interest  he 
slipped  the  pea  from  one  thimble  to  another  while  in  the 
midst  of  a  desert.  Man  is  a  queer  animal,  and  Colonel 
Dick  Johnson  is  disposed  to  make  him  even  queerer 
than  Dame  Nature  originally  intended. 

The  Bee  hunter  told  me,  that  if  I  was  determined  to 
leave  them,  he  had  in  his  bag  a  paper  of  ground  coffee, 
and  biscuit,  which  little  Kate  of  Nacogdoches  had  de- 
Bired  him  to  carry  for  my  use,  which  he  handed  to  me, 
and  proposed  drinking  her  health,  saying  that  she  was 
one  of  the  kindest  and  purest  of  God's  creatures.  We 
drank  her  health,  and  wished  him  all  happiness  when 
she  should  be  his  own,  which  time  he  looked  forward  to 
with  impatience.  He  still  continued  to  dissuade  me 
from  leaving  them,  and  all  the  time  he  was  talking  his 
eyes  were  wandering  above,  when  suddenly  he  stopped, 
sprang  to  his  feet,  looked  around  for  a  moment,  then 
leaped  on  his  mustang,  and  without  saying  a  word, 
started  off  like  mad,  and  scoured  along  the  prairie.  We 
watched  him,  gradually  diminishing  in  size,  until  he 
seemed  no  larger  than  a  rat,  and  finally  disappeared  in 
the  distance.  I  was  amazed,  and  thought  to  be  sure  the 
man  was  crazy;  and  Thimblerig,  who  continued  his 
g'ime,  responded  that  he  was  unquestionably  out  of  his 
head. 

Shortly  after  the  Bee  hunter  had  disappeared,  we 
heard  a  noise  like  the  rumbling  of  distant  thunder.  The 
sky  was  clear,  there  were  no  signs  of  a  storm,  and  we 


HERD   OF   BUFFALOES.  £41 

concluded  it  could  not  proceed  from  that  cause.  On 
turning  to  the  west,  we  saw  an  immense  cloud  of  dust 
in  the  distance,  but  could  perceive  no  object  distinctly, 
and  still  the  roaring  continued.  u  What  can  all  this 
mean?"  said  I.  "Burn  my  old  shoes  if  I  know,"  said 
the  conjurer,  gathering  up  his  thimbles,  and  at  the  same 
time  cocking  his  large  Vicksburger  fiercely  on  his  head. 
We  continued  looking  in  the  direction  whence  the  sound 
proceeded,  the  cloud  of  dusf  became  thicker  and  thicker, 
and  the  roaring  more  distinct — much  louder  than  was 
ever  heard  in  the  White  House  at  Washington. 

We  at  first  imagined  that  it  was  a  tornado,  but  what 
ever  it  was,  it  was  coming  directly  toward  the  spot 
where  we  stood.  Our  mustangs  had  ceased  to  graze, 
and  cocked  up  their  ears  in  evident  alarm.  We  ran 
and  caught  them,  took  off  the  hobbles,  and  rode  into  the 
grove  of  trees  ; — still  the  noise  grew  louder  and  louder. 
We  had  scarcely  got  under  the  shelter  of  the  grove  be 
fore  the  object  approached  near  enough  for  us  to  ascer 
tain  what  it  was.  It  was  a  herd  of  buffalo,  at  least  four 
or  five  hundred  in  number,  dashing  along  as  swift  as  the 
wind,  and  roaring  as  if  so  many  devils  had  broke  loose. 
They  passed  near  the  grove,  and  if  we  had  not  taken 
shelter  there,  we  should  have  been  In  great  danger  of 
being  trampled  to  death.  My  poor  little  mustang  shook 
worse  than  a  politician  about  to  be  turned  out  of  office, 
as  the  drove  came  sweeping  by.  At  their  head,  apart 
from  the  rest,  was  a  black  bull,  who  appeared  to  be  their 
leader ;  he  came  roaring  along,  his  tail  straight  on  an 
end,  and  at  times  tossing  up  the  earth  with  his  horns. 
I  never  felt  such  a  desire  to  have  a  crack  at  anything 


348  CHASE    OF   THE    BUFFALOES. 

in  all  my  life.  He  drew  nigh  the  place  where  I  wt-i 
standing ;  I  raised  my  beautiful  Betsey  to  my  shoulder, 
took  deliberate  aim,  blazed  away,  and  he  roared  and 
suddenly  stopped.  Those  that  were  near  *  him  did  so 
likewise,  and  the  concussion  occasioned  by  the  impetus 
of  those  in  the  rear  was  such,  that  it  was  a  miracle  that 
some  of  them  did  not  break,  their  legs  or  necks.  The 
black  bull  stood  for  a  few  moments  pawing  the  ground 
after  he  was  shot,  then  darted  off  around  the  cluster  of 
trees,  and  made  for  the  uplands  of  the  prairies.  The 
whole  herd  followed,  sweeping  by  like  a  tornado,  and  I 
do  say,  I  never  witnessed  a  more  beautiful  sight  to  the 
eye  of  a  hunter  in  all  my  life.  Bear  hunting  is  no  more 
to  be  compared  to  it  than  Colonel  Benton  is  to  Henry 
Clay.  I  watched  them  for  a  few  moments,  then  clapped 
spurs  to  my  mustang  and  followed  in  their  wake,  leaving 
Thimblerig  behind  me. 

I  followed  on  the  trail  of  the  herd  for  at  least  two 
hours,  by  which  time  the  moving  mass  appeared  like  a 
small  cloud  in  the  distant  horizon.  Still,  I  followed, 
my  whole  mind  absorbed  by  the  excitement  of  the  chase, 
until  the  object  was  entirely  lost  in  the  distance.  I  now 
paused  to  allow  my  mustang  to  breathe,  who  did  not 
altogether  fancy  the  rapidity  of  my  movements,  and  to 
consider  \\hich  course  I  would  have  to  take  to  regain  the 
path  I  had  abandoned.  I  might  have  retraced  my  steps 
by  following  the  trail  of  the  buffaloes,  but  it  had  always 
been  my  principle  to  go  ahead,  and  so  I  turned  to  the 
west  and  pushed  forward. 

I  had  not  roie  more  than  an  hour  before  I  found  I 
was  as  completely  bewildered  as  "the  Government"  wai 


CROCKETT   LOST.  849 

when  he  entered  upon  an  examination  of  the  post-office 
accounts.  I  looked  around,  and  there  was,  as  far  as 
the  eye  could  reach,  spread  before  me  a  country  appa 
rently  in  the  highest  state  of  cultivation.  Extended 
fields,  beautiful  and- productive,  groves  of  trees  cleared 
from  the  underwood,  and  whose  margins  were  as  regular 
as  if  the  art  and  taste  of  man  had  been  employed  upon 
them.  But  there  was  no  other  evidence  that  the  sound 
of  the  axe,  or  the  voice  of  man,  had  ever  here  disturbed 
the  solitude  of  nature.  My  eyes  would  have  cheated  my 
senses  into  the  belief  that  I  was  in  an  earthly  paradise, 
but  my  fears  told  me  that  I  was  in  a  wilderness. 

I  pushed  along,  following  the  sun,  for  I  had  no  com 
pass  to  guide  me,  and  there  was  no  other  path  than  that 
which  my  mustang  made.  Indeed,  if  I  had  found  a 
beaten  track,  I  should  have  been  almost  afraid  to  have 
followed  it ;  for  my  friend  the  Bee  hunter  had  told  me, 
that  once,  when  he  had  been  lost  in  the  prairies,  he  had 
accidentally  struck  into  his  own  path,  and  had  traveled 
around  and  around  for  a  whole  day  before  he  discovered 
his  error.  This  I  thought  was  a  poor  way  of  going 
ahead;  so  I  determined  to  make  for  the  first  large 
stream,  and  follow  its  course. 

I  had  traveled  several  hours  without  seeing  the  trace 
of  a  human  being,  and  even  game  was  almost  as  scarce 
as  Benton's  mint  drops,  except  just  about  election  time, 
an  1 1  began  to  wish  that  I  had  followed  the  advice  of  my 
companions.  I  was  a  good  deal  bothered  to  account  for 
the  abrupt  manner  in  which  the  Bee  hunter  had  abscon 
ded  ;  and  I  felt  concerned  for  the  poor  thimble  conjurer, 
who  was  left  alone,  and  altogether  unaccustomed  to  the 


850  THE   MUSTANGS. 

difficulties  that  he  would  have  to  encounter.  While  my 
mind  was  occupied  with  these  unpleasant  reflections,  1 
was  suddenly  startled  by  another  novelty  quite  as  great 
as  that  I  have  just  described. 

I  had  just  emerged  from  a  beautiful  grove  of  trees, 
md  was  entering  upon  an  extended  prairie,  which  looked 
like  the  luxuriant  meadows  of  a  thrifty  farmer  ;  and  as 
if  nothing  should  be  wanting  to  complete  the  delusion, 
but  a  short  distance  before  me,  there  was  a  drove  of 
about  one  hundred  beautiful  horses  quietly  pasturing. 
It  required  some  effort  to  convince  my  mind  that  man  had 
no  agency  in  this.  But  when  I  looked  around,  and  fully 
realized  ij;  all,  I  thought  of  him  who  had  preached  to  me 
in  the  wilds  of  the  Arkansas,  and  involuntarily  exclaimed, 
"God,  what  hast  thou  not  done  for  man,  and  yet  how  little 
he  does  for  thee !  Not  even  repays  thee  with  gratitude!" 

I  entered  upon  the  prairie.  The  mustangs  no  sooner 
espied  me  than  they  raised  their  heads,  whinnied,  and 
began  coursing  around  me  in  an  extended  circle,  which 
gradually  became  smaller  and  smaller,  until  they  closely 
surrounded  me.  My  little  rascally  mustang  enjoyed  the 
sport,  and  felt  disposed  to  renew  his  acquaintance  with 
his  wild  companions ;  first  turning  his  head  to  one.  then 
to  another,  playfully  biting  the  neck  of  this  one,  rubbing 
noses  with  that  one,  and  kicking  up  his  heels  at  a  third. 
1  began  to  feel  rather  uncomfortable,  and  plied  the  spur 
pretty  briskly  to  get  out  of  the  mess,  but  he  was  as  ob- 
»tinate  as  the  "  old  Roman"  himself,  who  will  neither  be 
le  1  nor  driven.  I  kicked,  and  he  kicked,  but  fortunately 
he  became  tired  first,  and  he  made  one  start,  intending 
to  escape  from  the  annoyance  if  possible.  As  I  had  an 


A   RACE.  851 

annoyance  to  escape  from  likewise,  I  beat  tLe  devil's 
tattoo  on  his  ribs,  that  he  might  have  some  music  to 
dance  to,  and  we  went  ahead  right  merrily,  the  whole 
drove  following  in  our  wake,  head  up,  and  tail  and  manes 
streaming.  My  little  critter,  who  was  both  blood  and 
bottom,  seemed  delighted  at  being  at  the  head  of  the 
heap ;  and  having  once  got  fairly  started,  I  wish  I  may 
be  shot  if  I  did  not  find  it  impossible  to  stop  him.  He 
kept  along,  tossing  his  head  proudly,  and  occasionally 
neighing,  as  much  as  to  say,  u  Come  on,  my  hearties, 
you  see  I  ha'n't  forgot  our  old  amusement  yet."  And 
they  did  come  on  with  a  vengeance,  clatter,  clatter,  clat 
ter,  as  if  so  many  fiends  had  broke  loose.  The  prairie 
lay  extended  before  me  as  far  as  the  eye  could  reach, 
and  I  began  to  think  that  there  would  be  no  end  to  the 
race. 

My  little  animal  was  full  of  fire  and  mettle,  and  as  it 
was  the  first  bit  of  genuine  sport  that  he  had  had  for 
some  time,  he  appeared  determined  to  make  the  most  of 
it.  He  kept  the  lead  for  full  half  an  hour,  frequently 
neighing  as  if  in  triumph  and  derision.  I  thought  of 
John  Gilpin's  celebrated  ride,  but  that  was  child's  play 
to  this.  The  proverb  says,  "  The  race  is  not  always  to 
the  swift,  nor  the  battle  to  the  strong,"  and  so  it  proved 
in  the  present  instance.  My  mustang  was  obliged  to 
carry  weight,  while  his  competitors  were  as  free  as  nature 
had  made  them.  A  beautiful  bay,  who  had  trod  close 
upon  my  heels  the  whole  way,  now  came  side  by  side 
with  my  mustang,  and  we  had  it  hip  and  thigh  for  about 
ten  minutes,  in  such  style  as  would  have  delighted  tue 
heart  of  a  true  lover  of  the  turf.  I  now  felt  an  interest 


852  NAVASOLA   RIVER. 

in  the  race  myself,  and  for  the  credit  of  my  bit  of  blood, 
determined  to  win  it  if  it  was  at  all  in  the  nature  of 
things.  I  plied  the  lash  and  spur,  and  the  little  crittei 
took  it  quite  kindly,  and  tossed  his  head,  and  neighed, 
as  much  as  to  say,  "  Colonel,  I  know  what  you're  after — 
Go  ahead!" — and  he  cut  dirt  in  beautiful  style,  I  tell 
pu.  ^ 

This  could  not  last  for  ever.  At  length  my  competi 
tor  darted  ahead,  somewhat  the  same  way  that  Adam 
Huntsman  served  me  last  election,  except  that  there  was 
no  gouging ;  and  my  little  fellow  was  compelled  to  clat 
ter  after  his  tail,  like  a  needy  politician  after  an  office 
holder  when  he  wants  his  influence,  and  which  my  mus 
tang  found  it  quite  as  difficult  to  reach.  He  hung  on 
like  grim  death  for  some  time  longer,  but  at  last  his  am 
bition  began  to  flag ;  and  having  lost  his  ground,  others 
seemed  to  think  that  he  was  not  the  mighty  critter  he 
was  cracked  up  to  be,  no  how,  and  they  tried  to  outstrip 
him  also.  A  second  shot  ahead,  and  he  kicked  up  his 
heels  in  derision  as  he  passed  us ;  then  a  third,  a  fourth, 
and  so  on,  and  even  the  scrubbiest  little  rascal  in  the 
whole  drove  was  disposed  to  have  a  fling  at  their  broken 
down  leader.  A  true  picture  of  politicians  and  their 
truckling  followers,  thought  I.  We  now  followed  among 
the  last  of  the  drove  until  we  came  to  the  banks  of  the 
Navasola  river.  The  foremost  leaped  from  the  margin 
into  the  rushing  stream,  the  others,  politician  like,  fol 
lowed  him,  though  he  would  lead  them  to  destruction ; 
but  my  wearied  animal  fell  on  the  banks,  completely  ex 
hausted  with  fatigue.  It  was  a  beautiful  sight  to  see 
them  stemming  the  torrent,  ascend  the  opposite  baa\ 


THE   WEARIED   ANIMAL.  858 

anil  scour  over  the  plain,  having  been  refreshed  by  the 
water.  I  relieved  my  wearied  animal  from  the  saddle, 
and  employed  what  means  were  in  my  power  to  restore 
him.* 

*  This  characteristic  episode  in  the  Colonel's  eventful  journey  to 
Texas,  will  afford  instruction  as  well  as  pleasure  to  the  reader.  The 
c/iase  of  the  great  herd  of  buffaloes,  and  the  race  with  the  other  Iierd 
of  mustangs,  are  entirely  consistent  with  the  go-ahead  character  oJ? 
Colonel  Crockett  He  was  always  ready  to  enter  upon  any  perilous 
adventure  which  offered  itself;  and  not  less  ready,  as  we  shall  pre 
sently  see,  to  meet  with  resolute  composure  the  inevitable 
oea  of  his  rashness. 
28 


CHAPTER    XXXIII. 

fhe  Co  .onel's  mustang  apparently  very  ill — The  Colonel  has  a  hard 
fight  with  a  Cougar,  and  kills  him — Passes  the  night  in  A  ti-ee— 
Loses  his  mustang — Breakfasts  on  roast  goose — Falls  in  with  a 
party  of  Camanches — Ride  with  them — Singular  recovery  of  bis 
mustang — A  prairie  on  fire — Politeness  of  the  Camanches — Meet 
ing  with  Thimblerig—  Re-union  of  the  whole  party — Meeting  with 
a  band  of  Mexicans — A  fight— The  Mexicans  beaten  and  put  to 
flight— Arrival  at  the  Alarno. 

AFTER  toiling  for  more  than  an  hour  to  get  my  mus 
tang  upon  his  feet  again,  I  gave  it  up  as  a  bad  job,  as 
little  Van  did  when  he  attempted  to  raise  himself  to  the 
moon  by  the  waistband  of  his  breeches.  Night  was  fast 
closing  in,  and  as  I  began  to  think  that  I  had  just  about 
sport  enough  for  one  day,  I  might  as  well  look  around 
for  a  place  of  shelter  for  the  night,  and  take  a  fresh  start 
in  the  morning,  by  which  time  I  was  in  hopes  my  horse 
would  be  recruited.  Near  the  margin  of  the  river  a 
large  tree  had  been  blown  down,  and  I  thought  of  making 
my  lair  in  its  top,  and  approached  it  for  that  purpose. 
While  beating  among  the  branches  I  heard  a  low  growl, 
as  much  as  to  say,  "  Stranger,  the  apartments  are  already 
taken."  Looking  about  to  see  what  sort  of  a  bed-fellow 
I  was  likely  to  have,  I  discovered,  not  more  than  five  or 
six  paces  from  me,  an  enormous  Mexican  Cougar,  eyeing 
me  as  an  epicure  surveys  the  table  before  he  selects  hif 
(354) 


A  COUGAR.  855 

dish,  for  I  have  no  doubt  the  cougar  looked  upon  me  as 
the  subject  of  a  future  supper.  Rays  of  light  darted 
from  his  large  eyes,  he  showed  his  teeth  like  a  negro  in 
hysterics,  and  he  was  crouching  on  his  haunches  ready 
for  a  spring ;  all  of  which  convinced  me  that  unless  I 
was  pretty  quick  upon  the  trigger,  posterity  would  know 
little  of  the  termination  of  my  eventful  career,  and  it 
would  be  far  less  glorious  and  useful  than  I  intend  to 
make  it. 

One  glance  satisfied  me  that-  there  was  no  time  to  be 
lost,  as  Pat  thought  when  falling  from  a  church  steeple, 
and  exclaimed,  "  This  would  be  mighty  pleasant,  now, 
if  it  would  only  last," — but  there  was  no  retreat  either 
for  me  or  the  cougar,  so  I  leveled  my  Betsey  and  blazed 
away.  The  report  was  followed  by  a  furious  growl, 
(which  is  sometimes  the  case  in  Congress,)  and  the  next 
moment,  when  I  expected  to  find  the  tarnal  critter  strug 
gling  with  death,  I  beheld  him  shaking  his  head  as  if  no 
thing  more  than  a  bee  had  stung  him.  The  ball  iiad 
struck  him  on  the  forehead  and  glanced  off",  doing  no 
other  injury  than  stunning  him  for  an  instant,  and  tear 
ing  off  the  skin,  which  tended  to  infuriate  him  the  more. 
The  cougar  wasn't  long  in  making  up  his  mind  what  to 
do,  nor  was  I  neither  ;  but  he  would  have  it  all  his  own 
way,  and  vetoed  my  motion  to  back  out.  I  had  not  re 
treated  three  steps  before  he  sprang  at  me  like  a  steam 
boat  ;  I  stepped  aside,  and  as  he  lit  upon  the  ground,  I 
struck  him  violently  with  the  barrel  of  my  rifle,  but  he 
didn't  mind  that,  but  wheeled  around  and  made  at  me 
again.  The  gun  was  now  of  no  use,  so  I  threw  it  awa.y, 
and  drew  my  hunting  knife,  for  I  knew  we  should  come 


FIGHT  WITH   A   COUGAR. 

to  close  quarters  before  the  fight  would  be  over.  Thii 
time  he  succeeded  in  fastening  on  my  left  arm,  and  was 
just  beginning  to  amuse  himself  by  tearing  the  flesh  off 
with  his  fangs,  when  I  ripped  my  knife  into  his  side,  and 
he  let  go  his  hold  much  to  my  satisfaction. 

He  wheeled  about  and  came  at  me  with  increased  fury, 
occasioned  by  the  smarting  of  his  wounds.  I  now  tried 
to  blind  him,  knowing  that  if  I  succeeded  he  would  be 
come  an  easy  prey  ;  so  as  he  approached  me  I  watched 
my  opportunity,  and  aimed  a  blow  at  his  eyes  with  my 
knife,  but  unfortunately  it  struck  him  on  the  nose,  and 
he  paid  no  other  attention  to  it  than  by  a  shake  of  the 
head  and  a  low  growl.  He  pressed  me  close,  and  as  I 
was  stepping  backward  my  foot  tripped  in  a  vine,  and  I 
fell  to  the  ground.  He  was  down  upon  me  like  a  night- 
hawk  upon  a  June  bug.  He  seized  hold  of  the  outer 
part  of  my  right  thigh,  which  afforded  him  considerable 
amusement ;  the  hinder  part  of  his  body  was  towards 
my  face;  I  grasped  his  tail  with  my  left  hand,  and 
tickled  his  ribs  with  my  hunting  knife,  which  I  held  in 
my  right.  Still  the  critter  wouldn't  let  go  his  hold  ; 
and  as  I  found  that  he  would  lacerate  my  leg  dreadfully, 
unless  he  was  speedily  shaken  off,  I  tried  to  hurl  him 
down  the  bank  into  the  river,  for  our  scuffle  had  already 
brought  us  to  the  edge  of  the  bank.  I  stuck  my  knife 
into  his  side,  and  summoned  all  my  strength  to  throw 
him  over.  He  resisted,  was  desperate  heavy  ;  but  at 
last  I  got  him  so  far  down  the  declivity  that  he  lost  his 
balance,  and  he  rolled  over  and  over  till  he  landed  on  the 
margin  of  the  river ;  but  in  his  fall  he  dragged  me  along 
urith  him.  Fortunately,  I  fell  uppermost,  and  his  neck 


SLEEPING   IN  A  TREE.  357 

presented  a  fair  mark  for  my  hunting  knue.  Without 
allowing  myself  time  even  to  draw  breath,  I  aimed  one 
desperate  blow  at  his  neck,  and  the  knife  entered  his 
gullet  up  to  the  handle,  and  reached  his  heart.  He 
struggled  for  a  few  moments,  and  died.  I  have  had 
many  fights  with  bears,  but  that  was  mere  child's  play ; 
this  was  the  first  fight  ever  I  had  with  a  cougar,  and  I 
hope  it  may  be  the  last. 

I  now  returned  to  the  tree-top  to  see  if  any  one  else 
would  dispute  my  lodging ;  but  now  I  could  take  peace 
able  and  quiet  possession.  I  parted  some  of  the  branch 
es,  and  cut  away  others  to  make  a  bed  in  the  opening ; 
I  then  gathered  a  quantity  of  moss,  which  hung  in  fes 
toons  from  the  trees,  which  I  spread  on  the  litter,  and 
over  this  I  spread  my  horse  blanket  ;  and  I  had  as  com 
fortable  a  bed  as  a  weary  man  need  ask  for.  I  now  took 
another  look  at  my  mustang,  and  from  all  appearances, 
he  would  not  live  until  morning.  I  ate  some  of  the  cakes 
that  little  Kate  of  Nacogdoches  had  made  for  me,  and 
then  carried  my  saddle  into  my  tree  top,  and  threw  my 
self  down  upon  my  bed  with  no  very  pleasant  reflections 
at  the  prospect  before  me. 

I  was  weary,  and  soon  fell  asleep,  and  did  not  awake 
unt:l  daybreak  the  next  day.  I  felt  somewhat  stiff  and 
Bore  from  the  wounds  I  had  received  in  the  conflict  with 
the  cougar  ;  but  I  considered  myself  as  having  made  a 
lucky  escape.  I  looked  over  the  bank,  and  as  I  saw  the 
carcass  of  the  cougar  lying  there,  I  thought  that  it  was 
an  even  chance  that  we  had  not  exchanged  conditions ; 
and  I  felt  grateful  that  the  fight  had  ended  as  it  di  1.  I 
now  went  to  look  after  my  mustang,  fully  expecting  to 


358  A  BREAKFAST. 

find  him  as  dead  as  the  cougar ;  but  what  was  my  aston 
ishment  to  find  that  he  had  disappeared  without  leaving 
trace  of  hair  or  hide  of  him  !  I  first  supposed  that  some 
beasts  of  prey  had  consumed  the  poor  critter  ;  but  then 
they  wouldn't  have  eaten  his  bones,  and  he  had  vanished 
as  effectually  as  the  deposites,  without  leaving  any  mark 
of  the  course  they  had  taken.  This  bothered  me  ama 
zing  ;  I  couldn't  figure  it  out  by  any  rule  that  I  had  ever 
heard  of,  so  I  concluded  to  think  no  more  about  it. 

I  felt  a  craving  for  something  to  eat,  and  looking 
around  for  some  game,  I  saw  a  flock  of  geese  on  the 
shore  of  the  river.  I  shot  a  fine,  fat  gander,  and  soon 
stripped  him  of  his  feathers :  and  gathering  some  light 
wood, "  I  kindled  a  fire,  run  a  long  stick  through  my 
goose  for  a  spit,  and  put  it  down  to  roast,  supported  by 
two  sticks  with  prongs.  I  had  a  desire  for  some  coffee; 
and  having  a  tin  cup  with  me,  I  poured  the  paper  of 
ground  coffee  that  I  had  received  from  the  bee  hunter 
into  it,  and  made  a  strong  cup,  which  was  very  refresh 
ing.  Off  of  my  goose  and  biscuit  I  made  a  hearty  meal, 
and  was  preparing  to  depart  without  clearing  up  the 
breakfast  things,  or  knowing  which  direction  to  pursue, 
when  I  was  somewhat  taken  aback  by  another  of  the  wild 
scenes  of  the  west.  I  heard  a  sound  like  the  trampling 
of  many  horses,  and  I  thought  to  be  sure  the  mustangs 
or  buffaloes  were  coming  upon  me  again  ;  but,  on  raising 
my  head,  I  beheld  in  the  distance  about  fifty  mounted 
Camanches,  with  their  spears  glittering  in  the  morning 
Bun,  dashing  toward  the  spot  where  I  stood  at  full  speed. 
As  the  column  advanced,  it  divided,  according  to  their 
nsual  practice,  into  two  semicircles,  and  in  an  instant  I 


ENCOUNTER   WITH   THE   CAMANCHES.  859 

was  surrounded.  Quicker  than  thought  I  sprang  to  my 
rifle,  but  as  my  hand  grasped  it,  I  felt  that  resistance 
against  so  many  would  be  of  as  little  use  as  pumping  for 
thunder  in  dry  weather. 

The  chief  was  for  making  love  to  my  beautiful  Betsey, 
but  1  clung  fast  to  her,  and  assuming  an  air  of  compo 
sure,  I  demanded  whether  their  nation  was  at  war  with 
the  Americans.  "No,"  was  the  reply.  "Do  you  like 
the  Americans?"  "Yes;  they  are  our  friends." 
"  Where  do  you  get  your  spear  heads,  your  rifles,  your 
blankets,  and  your  knives  from?"  "Get  them  from 
our  friends,  the  Americans."  "Well,  do  you  think,  if 
you  were  passing  through  their  nation,  as  I  am  passing 
through  yours,  they  would  attempt  to  rob  you  of  your 
property?"  "No,  they  would  feed  me,  and  protect 
me ;  and  the  Camanche  will  do  the  same  by  his  white 
brother." 

I  now  asked  him  what  it  was  had  directed  him  to  the 
spot  where  I  was,  and  he  told  me,  that  they  had  seen 
the  smoke  from  a  great  distance,  and  had  come  to  see 
the  cause  of  it.  He  inquired  what  had  brought  me  there 
alone ;  and  I  told  him  that  I  had  come  to  hunt,  and 
that  my  mustang  had  become  exhausted,  and  though  I 
thought  he  was  about  to  die,  that  he  had  escaped  from 
me  ;  at  which  the  chief  gave  a  low  chuckling  laugh,  and 
Eaid  it  was  all  a  trick  of  the  mustang,  which  is  the  most 
wily  and  cunning  of  all  animals.  But  he  said,  that  as 
I  was  a  brave  hunter,  he  would  furnish  me  with  another; 
he  gave  orders,  and  a  fine  young  horse  was  immediately 
brought  forward. 

When   the    party  approached   there  were  three  old 


860         RIDE  WITH  THE  CAMANCHES. 

squaws  at  their  head,  who  made  a  noise  with  then 
mouths,  and  served  as  trumpeters.  I  now  told  the  chiet 
that,  as  I  now  had  a  horse,  I  would  go  for  my  saddlej 
which  was  in  the  place  where  I  had  slept.  As  I  ap 
proached  the  spot  I  discovered  one  of  the  squaws  de 
vouring  the  remains  of  my  roasted  goose,  but  my  saddle 
and  bridle  we*e  nowhere  to  be  found.  Almost  in  des 
pair  of  seeing  them  again,  I  observed,  in  a  thicket  at  a 
little  distance,  one  of  the  trumpeters  kicking  and  bela 
boring  her  horse  to  make  him  move  off,  while  the  saga 
cious  beast  would  not  move  a  step  from  the  troop.  I 
followed  her,  and,  thanks  to  her  restive  mustang,  secured 
my  property,  which  the  chief  made  her  restore  to  me. 
Some  of  the  warriors  had  by  this  time  discovered  the 
body  of  the  cougar,  and  had  already  commenced  skin 
ning  it ;  and  seeing  how  many  stabs  were  about  it,  I 
related  to  the  chief  the  desperate  struggle  I  had  had ; 
he  said,  "Brave  hunter,  brave  man,"  and  wished  me  to 
be  adopted  into  his  tribe,  but  I  respectfully  declined  the 
honor.  He  then  offered  to  see  me  on  my  way ;  and  I 
asked  him  to  accompany  me  to  the  Colorado  river,  if  he 
was  going  in  that  direction,  which  he  agreed  to  do.  I 
put  my  saddle  on  my  fresh  horse,  mounted,  and  we 
darted  off,  at  a  rate  not  much  slower  than  I  had  rode 
the  day  previous  with  the  wild  herd,  the  old  squaws  at 
the  head  of  the  troop  braying  like  young  jackasses  the 
whole  way. 

About  three  hours  after  starting  we  saw  a  drove  of 
mustangs  quietly  pasturing  in  the  prairie  at  a  distance. 
One  of  the  Indians  immediately  got  his  lasso  ready, 
which  was  a  long  rope  made  of  hide  plaited  like  whij 


RECOVERY   OF  THE  MUSTANG.  861 

cord,  with  an  iron  ring  at  one  end,  through  which  the 
rope  was  passed  so  as  to  form  a  noose ;  and  thus  pre 
pared,  he  darted  ahead  of  the  troop  to  make  a  capture. 
They  allowed  him  to  approach  pretty  nigh,  he  all  the 
time  flourishing  his  lasso ;  but  before  he  got  within 
reaching  distance,  they  started  off  at  a  brisk  canter, 
made  two  or  three  wide  circuits  around  him,  as  if  they 
would  spy  out  what  he  was  after,  then  abruptly  changed 
their  course  and  disappeared.  One  mustang  out  of  all 
the  drove  remained  standing  quietly ;  the  Indian  made 
up  to  him,  threw  the  lasso,  but  the  mustang  dodged  his 
head  between  his  fore  legs,  and  escaped  the  noose,  but 
did  not  attempt  to  escape.  The  Indian  then  rode  up  to 
him,  and  the  horse  very  patiently  submitted  while  he 
put  a  bridle  on  him,  and  secured  him.  When  I  ap 
proached,  I  immediately  recognized  in  the  captive  the 
pestilent  little  animal  that  had  shammed  sickness  and 
escaped  from  me  the  day  before ;  and  when  he  caught 
my  eye  he  cast  down  his  head  and  looked  rather  sheep 
ish,  as  if  he  were  sensible  and  ashamed  of  the  dirty 
trick  he  had  played  me.  I  ex  pressed  my  astonishment 
to  the  Indian  chief  at  the  mustang's  allowing  himself  to 
be  captured  without  an  eifort  to  cecape ;  and  he  told  me, 
that  they  are  generally  hurled  to  the  ground  with  such 
violence  when  first  taken  with  thv  lasso,  that  they  re 
member  it  ever  after,  and  that  the  sight  of  it  will  sub 
due  them  to  submission,  though  the}  may  have  run  wild 
for  years.  Just  so  with  an  office-hoMer,  who,  being 
kicked  out,  turns  patriot — shake  a  commission  at  him, 
and  the  fire  of  his  patriotism  usually  escapes  in  ^oke. 
We  traveled  all  day,  and  toward  evening  v 


862  PRAIRIE   ON   FIRE. 

across  a  small  drove  of  buffaloes  ;  and  it  was  a  beautiful 
sight  to  behold  with  what  skill  the  Indians  hunted  down 
this  noble  game.  There  are  no  horsemen  who  ride  more 
gracefully  than  the  Cumanches ;  and  they  sit  so  closely, 
and  hold  such  absolute  control  over  the  horse,  that  he 
seems  to  be  part  of  their  own  person.  I  had  the  good 
fortune  to  bring  down  a  young  heifer,  and  as  it  was  the 
only  beef  that  we  killed,  the  chief  again  complimented 
me  as  being  a  brave  hunter ;  and  while  they  were  pre 
paring  the  heifer  for  our  supper,  I  related  to  him  many 
of  my  hunting  exploits,  at  which  he  manifested  pleasure 
and  much  astonishment  for  an  Indian.  He  again  urged 
upon  me  to  become  one  of  the  tribe. 

We  made  a  hearty  supper,  hobbled  our  mustangs, 
which  we  turned  into  the  prairie  to  graze,  and  then  en 
camped  for  the  night.  I  awoke  about  two  hours  before 
daybreak,  and  looking  over  the  tract  of  country  through 
which  we  had  traveled,  the  sky  was  as  bright  and  cleai 
as  if  the  sun  had  already  risen.  I  watched  it  for  some 
time  without  being  able  to  account  for  it,  and  asked  my 
friend,  the  chief,  to  explain,  who  told  me  that  the  prairie 
was  on  fire,  and  that  it  must  have  caught  when  we 
cooked  our  dinner.  I  have  seen  hundreds  of  acres  of 
mountain  timber  on  fire  in  my  time,  but  this  is  the  first 
time  that  I  ever  saw  a  prairie  burning. 

Nothing  of  interest  occurred  until  we  reached  the 
Colorado,  and  were  following  the  river  to  the  place  where 
it  crosses  the  road  to  Bexar,  which  place  the  Indiana 
promised  to  conduct  me  to.  We  saw  a  light  column  of 
smoke  ascending  in  the  clear  sky,  and  hastened  toward 
it.  It  proceeded  from  a  small  cluster  of  treos  near  the 


POLITENESS    OF   THE   CUMANCHES. 

river.  When  we  came  within  five  hundred  yards  of  it, 
the  warriors  extended  their  line  around  the  object,  and 
the  chief  and  myself  cautiously  approached  it.  When 
we  came  within  eyeshot,  what  was  my  astonishment  to 
discover  a  solitary  man  seated  on  the  ground  near  the 
fire,  so  intent  upon  some  pursuit  that  he  did  not  perceive 
our  approach.  We  drew  nigh  to  him,  and  still  he. was 
unconscious  of  our  approach.  It  was  poor  Thimblerig, 
practicing  his  game  of  thimbles  upon  the  crown  of  his 
white  Vicksburger.  This  is  what  I  call  the  ruling  pas 
sion  most  amazing  strong.  The  chief  shouted  the  war 
whoop,  and  suddenly  the  warriors  came  rushing  in  from 
all  quarters,  preceded  by  the  old  squaw  trumpeters 
squalling  like  mad.  The  conjurer  sprang  to  his  feet, 
and  was  ready  to  sink  into  the  earth  when  he  beheld  the 
ferocious  looking  fellows  that  surrounded  him.  I  stepped 
up,  took  him  by  the  hand,  and  quieted  his  fears.  I  told 
the  chief  that  he  was  a  friend  of  mine,  and  I  was  very 
glad  to  have  found  him,  for  I  was  afraid  that  he  had 
perished.  I  now  thanked  him  for  his  kindness  in  guiding 
me  over  the  prairies,  and  gave  him  a  large  Bowie  knife, 
which  he  said  he  would  keep  for  the  sake  of  the  brave 
hunter.  The  whole  squadron  then  wheeled  off,  and  I 
saw  them  no  more.  1  have  met  with  many  polite  meL 
in  my  time,  but  no  one  who  possessed  in  a  greater 
degree  what  may  be  called  true  spontaneous  politeness 
than  this  Cumanche  chief,  always  excepting  Philip  Hone, 
Esq.,  of  New  York,  whom  I  look  upon  as  the  politest 
man  I  ever  did  see ;  for  when  he  asked  me  to  take  a 
drink  at  hia  own  sideboard  he  turned  his  back  upon  me, 


364     THIMBLERIG  AND  THE  BEE  HUNTER. 

that  I  mightn't  be  ashamed  to  fill  as  much  as  I  wanted 
That  was  what  I  call  doing  the  fair  thing. 

Thimblerig  was  delighted  at  meeting  me  again,  but  it 
was  some  time  before  he  recovered  sufficiently  from  the 
cold  sweat  into  which  the  sudden  appearance  of  the  In 
dians  had  thrown  him  to  recount  his  adventures  to  me. 
lie  said  that  he  felt  rather  down-hearted  when  he  found 
himself  abandoned  both  by  the  Bee  hunter  and  myself, 
and  he  knew  not  which  course  to  pursue;  but  after 
thinking  about  the  matter  for  two  hours,  he  had  made  up 
his  mind  to  retrace  the  road  we  had  traveled  over,  and 
had  mounted  his  mustang  for  that  purpose,  when  he  spied 
the  Bee  hunter  laden  with  honey.  The  mystery  of  his 
abrupt  departure  was  now  fully  accounted  for ;  he  had 
spied  a  solitary  bee  shaping  its  course  to  its  hive,  and 
at  the  moment  he  couldn't  control  the  ruling  passion, 
but  followed  the  bee  without  reflecting  for  a  moment  up 
on  the  difficulties  and  dangers  that  his  thoughtlessness 
might  occasion  his  friends. 

I  now  asked  him  what  had  become  of  the  Bee  hunter, 
and  he  said  that  he  had  gone  out  in  pursuit  of  game  for 
their  supper,  and  he  expected  that  he  would  return 
shortly,  as  he  had  been  absent  at  least  an  hour.  While 
we  were  still  speaking  our  friend  appeared,  bending  un 
der  the  weight  of  a  wild  turkey.  He  manifested  great 
joy  at  meeting  with  me  so  unexpectedly  ;  and  desiiing 
the  conjurer  to  pluck  the  feathers  of  the  bird,  which  he 
cheerfully  undertook,  for  he  said  he  had  been  accustomed 
to  plucking  pigeons,  we  set  about  preparing  our  supper. 

The  position  we  occupied  was  directly  on  the  route 
leading  to  Bexar,  and  at  the  crossings  of  the  Colorado- 


MEETING   WITH   FRIENDS.  365 

We  were  about  to  commence  our  supper,  for  the  turkey 
Fas  done  in  beautiful  style,  when  the  sound  of  a  horse 
neighing  startled  us.  We  looked  over  the  prairie,  and 
beheld  two  men  approaching  on  horseback,  and  both 
armed  with  rifles  and  knives.  The  Bee  hunter  said  that 
it  was  time  for  us  to  be  on  our  guard,  for  we  should 
meet,  perhaps,  more  enemies  than  friends  as  soon  as  we 
crossed  the  river,  and  the  new  comers  were  making  di 
rectly  for  the  spot  we  occupied ;  but,  as  they  were  only 
two,  it  occasioned  no  uneasiness. 

As  they  drew  nigh  we  recognized  the  strangers ;  they 
turned  out  to  be  the  old  pirate  and  the  Indian  hunter 
who  had  lodged  with  us  a  few  nights  before.  We  hailed 
them,  and  on  seeing  us  they  alighted  and  asked  permis 
sion  to  join  our  party,  which  we  gladly  agreed  to,  as  our 
journey  was  becoming  rather  more  perilous  every  mile 
we  advanced.  They  partook  of  our  turkey,  and  as  they 
had  some  small  cakes  of  bread,  which  they  threw  into  the 
general  stock,  we  made  a  hearty  supper :  and,  after  a 
battle  song  from  the  Bee  hunter,  we  prepared  to  rest  for 
the  night. 

Early  next  morning  we  crossed  the  river  and  pushed 
forward  for  the  fortress  of  Alamo.  The  old  pirate  was 
taciturn  as  ever,  but  his  companion  was  talkative  and  in 
good  spirits.  I  asked  him  where  he  had  procured  their 
mustangs,  and  he  said  he  had  found  them  hobbled  in 
Burnet's  Grant,  just  at  a  time  that  he  felt  very  tired ; 
and  as  he  believed  that  no  one  would  lay  claim  to  them 
at  Bexar,  he  couldn't  resist  mounting  one,  and  persua 
ding  his  friend  to  mount  the  other. 

Nothing  of  interest  occurred  until  we   came  within 


866       MEETING  A  BAND  OF  MEXICAN'S. 

about  twenty  miles  of  San  Antonio.  We  were  in  the 
open  prairie,  and  beheld  a  band  of  about  fifteen  or 
twenty  armed  men  approaching  us  at  full  speed.  "  Look 
out  for  squalls,"  said  the  old  pirate,  who  had  not  spoken 
for  an  hour;  "they  are  a  scouting  party  of  Mexicans." 
"And  are  three  or  four  times  our  number,"  said  Thimble- 
rig.  "  No  matter,"  replied  the  old  man  ;  "  they  are  con 
victs,  jail  birds,  and  cowardly  ruffians,  no  doubt,  who 
would  tremble  at  a  loud  word  as  much  as  a  mustang  at 
the  sight  of  a  lasso.  Let  us  spread  ourselves,  dismount, 
arid  trust  to  our  arms." 

We  followed  his  orders,  and  stood  beside  our  horses, 
which  served  to  protect  our  persons,  and  we  awaited  the 
approach  of  the  enemy.  When  they  perceived  this 
movement  of  ours,  they  checked  their  speed,  appeared 
to  consult  together  for  a  few  minutes,  then  spread  their 
line,  and  came  within  rifle  shot  of  us.  The  leader  called 
out  to  us  in  Spanish,  but  as  I  did  not  understand  him,  I 
asked  the  old  man  what  it  was,  who  said  he  called  upon 
us  to  surrender. 

"  There  will  be  a  brush  with  those  blackguards,"  con 
tinued  the  pirate.  "  Now  each  of  you  single  out  your 
man  for  the  first  fire,  and  they  are  greater  fools  than  I 
take  them  for  if  they  give  us  a  chance  at  a  second. 
Colonel,  as  you  are  a  good  shot,  just  settle  the  business 
for  that  talking  fellow  with  the  red  feather ;  he's  worth 
any  three  of  the  party." 

u  Surrender,  or  we  fire,"  shouted  the  fellow  with  the 
red  feather,  in  Spanish. 

"  Fire,  and  be  d d,"  returned  the  pirate,  at  the 

top  of  his  voice,  in  plain  English. 


VICTOitr   OVER   THE    MEXICANS.  367 

And  sure  enough  they  took  his  advice,  for  the  next 
minute  we  were  saluted  with  a  discharge  of  musketry., 
the  report  of  which  was  so  loud  that  we  were  convinced 
they  all  had  fired.  Before  the  smoke  had  cleared  away 
we  had  each  selected  our  man,  fired,  and  I  never  did  see 
such  a  scattering  among  their  ranks  as  followed.  We 
beheld  several  mustangs  running  wild  without  their  riders 
over  the  prairie,  and  the  balance  of  the  company  were 
already  retreating  at  a  more  rapid  gait  than  they  ap 
proached.  We  hastily  mounted,  and  commenced  pur 
suit,  which  we  kept  up  until  we  beheld  the  independent 
flag  flying  from  the  battlements  of  the  fortress  of  Alamo, 
our  place  of  destination.  The  fugitives  succeeded  in 
evading  our  pursuit,  arid  we  rode  up  to  the  gates  of  the 
fortress,  announced  to  the  sentinel  who  we  were,  and  the 
gates  were  thrown  open ;  and  we  entered  amid  shouts  of 
welcome  bestowed  upon  us  by  the  Datriots. 


CHAPTER  XXXIV. 

Description  of  the  Alamo  fortress  and  Bexar — Capture  of  the  Alatm 
by  the  Texan  army — Account  of  Colonel  Bowie — Hi&  stratagem 
for  deceiving  the  Cumanches — News  of  the  approach  of  Santa 
Anna — History  of  Texas — Account  of  Santa  Anna — His  ambition 
-  Anecdote — Siege  of  a  Convent. 

THE  fortress  of  Alamo  is  at  the  town  of  Bexar,  on  th'e 
San  Antonio  river,  which  flows  through  the  town.  Bexar 
is  about  one  hundred  and  forty  miles  from  the  coast,  and 
contains  upward  of  twelve  hundred  citizens,  all  native 
Mexicans,  with  the  exception  of  a  few  American  families 
who  have  settled  there.  Besides  these  there  is  a  garrison 
of  soldiers,  and  trading  pedlars  of  every  description,  who 
resort  to  it  from  the  borders  of  the  Rio  Grande,  as  their 
nearest  depot  of  American  goods.  A  military  outpost 
was  established  at  this  spot  by  the  Spanish  government 
in  1718.  In  1721  the  town  was  settled  by  emigrants 
sent  out  from  the  Canary  Islands  by  the  King  of  Spain. 
It  became  a  flourishing  settlement,  and  so  continued  un 
til  the  revolution  in  1812,  since  which  period  the  Cum' 
anche  and  other  Indians  have  greatly  harassed  the  in 
habitants,  producing  much  individual  suffering,  and  totally 
destroying,  for  a  season  at  least,  the  prospects  of  the 
town.  Its  site  is  one  of  the  most  beautiful  in  the  western 
world.  The  air  is  salubrious,  the  water  delightful,  esp* 
(368) 


CAPTURE  OF  THE  ALAMO.          366 

cially  when  mixed  with  a  little  of  the  ardent,  and  the 
health  of  the  citizens  is  proverbial.  The  soil  around  it 
is  highly  fertile,  and  well  calculated  for  cotton  and  grain. 

The  gallant  young  Colonel  Travis,  who  commands  the 
Texian  forces  in  the  fortress  of  Alamo,  received  me  like 
a  man ;  and  though  he  can  barely  muster  one  hundred 
and  fifty  efficient  men,  should  Santa  Anna  make  an  at 
tack  upon  us,  with  the  whole  host  of  ruffians  that  the 
Mexican  prisons  can  disgorge,  he  will  have  snakes  to  eat 
before  he  gets  over  the  wall,  I  tell  you.  But  one  spirit 
appeared  to  animate  this  little  band  of  patriots — and  that 
is  liberty,  or  death.  To  worship  God  according  to  the 
dictates  of  their  own  conscience,  and  govern  themselves 
as  freemen  should  be  governed. 

All  the  world  knows  by  this  time,  that  the  town  of 
Bexar,  or,  as  some  call  it,  San_Antonio,  was  captured 
from  the  Mexicans  by  General  Burlison  on  the  10th  day 
of  December,  1835,  after  a  severe  struggle  of  five  days 
and  five  nights,  during  which  he  sustained  a  loss  of  four 
men  only,  but  the  brave  old  Colonel  Milam  was  among 
them.  There  were  seventeen  hundred  men  in  the  town, 
and  the  Texian  forces  consisted  of  but  two  hundred  and 
Bixteen.  The  Mexicans  had  walled  up  the  streets  lead 
ing  from  the  public  square,  intending  to  make  a  desper 
ate  resistance ;  the  Texians  however  made  an  entrance, 
and  valiantly  drove  them  from  house  to  house,  until 
General  Cos  retreated  to  the  castle  of  Alamo,  without 
the  city,  and  there  hoisted  the  white  flag,  and  sent  out 
the  terms  of  capitulation,  which  were  as  follows : 

General  Cos  is  to  retire  within  six  days,  with  his  olfi 
eers,  arms,  and  private  property,  on  parole  of  honor* 
24 


870  HOW  WE  TOOK   POSSESSION. 

He  is  not  to  oppose  the  re-establishment  of  the  constitu 
tion  of  1824. 

The  infantry  and  the  cavalry,  the  remnant  of  Morale's 
battalion,  and  the  convicts,  to  return,  taking  with  them 
ten  rounds  of  cartridge  for  safety  against  the  Indians. 

All  public  property,  money,  arms,  and  ammunition,  to 
be  delivered  to  General  Burlison,  of  the  Texian  army, 
with  some  other  stipulation  in  relation  to  the  sick  and 
wounded,  private  property,  and  prisoners  of  war.  The 
Texians  would  not  have  acceeded  to  them,  preferring  to 
storm  him  in  his  stronghold,  but  at  this  critical  juncture 
they  hadn't  a  single  round  of  ammunition  left,  having 
fought  from  the  5th  to  the  9th  of  the  month.  General 
Ugartechea  had  arrived  but  the  day  before  with  three 
hundred  troops,  and  the  four  hundred  convicts  mentioned 
above,  making  a  reinforcement  of  seven  hundred  men  ; 
but  such  rubbish  was  no  great  obstacle  to  the  march  of 
freedom.  The  Mexicans  lost  about  three  hundred  men 
during  the  siege,  and  the  Texians  had  only  four  killed 
and  twenty  wounded.  The  articles  of  capitulation  being 
signed,  we  marched  into  the  town,  took  possession  of  the 
fortress,  hoisted  the  independent  flag,  and  told  the  late 
proprietors  to  pack  up  their  moveables  and  clear  out  in 
the  snapping  of  a  trigger,  as  we.  did  not  think  our  pockets 
quite  safe  with  so  many  jail  birds  around  us.  And  this 
is  the  way  the  Alamo  came  into  our  possession  ;  but  the 
way  we  shall  maintain  our  possession  of  it  will  be  a  sub 
ject  for  the  future  historian  to  record,  or  my  name's  not 
Crockett.  I  wish  I  may  be  shot  if  I  dont't  go  ahead  to 
the  last. 

I  found  Colonel  Bowie,  of  Louisiana,  in  the  fortress, 


COLONEL   BOWIE.  871 

a  man  celebiated  for  having  been  in  more  despc/atu  per 
sonal  conflicts  than  any  other  in  the  country,  s-ad  whose 
name  has  been  given  to  a  knife  of  a  peculiar  construc 
tion,  which  is  now  in  general  use  in  the  south  west.  1 
was  introduced  to  him  by  Colonel  Travis,  and  he  gave 
me  a  friendly  welcome,  and  appeared  to  be  mightily 
pleased  that  I  had  arrived  safe.  While  we  wero  conver 
sing,  he  had  occasion  to  draw  his  famous  knife  to  cut  a 
strap,  and  I  wish  I  may  be  shot  if  the  bare  sight  of  it 
wasn't  enough  to  give  a  man  of  a  squeamish  stomach  the 
cholic,  especially  before  breakfast.  He  saw  I  was  admi 
ring  it,  and,  said  he,  "  Colonel,  you  might  t.ckle  a  fel 
lows  ribs  a  long  time  with  this  little  instrument  before 
you'd  make  him  laugh  ;  and  many  a  time  have  I  seen  a 
man  puke  at  the  idea  of  the  point  touching  the  pit  of  his 
stomach." 

My  companions,  the  Bee  hunter  and  the  conjurer, 
joined  us,  and  the  colonel  appeared  to  know  them  both 
very  well.  He  had  a  high  opinion  of  the  Bee  hunter,  for 
turning  to  me,  he  said,  "  Colonel,  you  could  not  have  had 
a  braver,  better,  or  more  pleasant  fellow  for  a  compan 
ion  than  honest  Ned  here.  With  fifteen  hundred  such 
men  I  would  undertake  to  march  to  the  city  of  Mexico, 
and  occupy  the  seat  of  Santa  Anna  myself  before  thre*1 
months  should  elapse." 

The  colonel's  life  has  been  marked  by  constant  peril, 
and  deeds  of  daring.  A  few  years  ago,  he  went  on  a 
hunting  excursion  into  the  prairies  of  Texas,  with  nine 
companions.  They  were  attacked  by  a  roving  party  of 
Oumanches,  about  two  hundred  strong,  and  such  was  the 
§cience  of  the  colonel  in  this  sort  of  wild  warfare,  that 


372  HIS    STRATAGEM. 

after  killing  a  considerable  number  of  the  enemy,  h« 
fairly  frightened  the  remainder  from  the  field  of  action, 
and  they  fled  in  utter  dismay.  The  fight  took  place 
among  the  high  grass  in  the  open  prairie.  He  ordered 
his  men  to  dismount  from  their  horses  and  scatter ;  to 
take  deliberate  aim  before  they  fired,  but  as  soon  as  they 
had  discharged  their  rifles  to  fall  flat  on  the  ground,  and 
crawl  away  from  the  spot,  and  reload  their  pieces.  By 
this  scheme,  they  not  only  escaped  the  fire  of  the  In 
dians,  but  by  suddenly  discharging  their  guns  from  an 
other  quarter,  they  created  the  impression  that  their 
party  was  a  numerous  one  ;  and  the  Indians,  finding 
that  they  were  fighting  against  an  invisible  enemy,  after 
losing  about  thirty  of  their  men,  took  to  flight,  believing 
themselves  lucky  in  having  escaped  with  no  greater  loys. 
But  one  of  the  colonel's  party  was  slightly  wounded,  and 
that  was  owing  to  his  remaining  to  reload  his  rifle  with 
out  having  first  shifted  his  position. 

Santa  Anna,  it  is  said,  roars  like  an  angry  lion  at  the 
disgraceful  defeat  that  his  brother-in-law,  General  Cos, 
lately  met  with  at  this  place.  It  is  rumored  that  he  has 
recruited  a  large  force,  and  commenced  his  march  to  San 
Louis  de  Potosi,  and  he  is  determined  to  carry  on  a  war 
of  extermination.  He  is  liberal  in  applying  his  epithets 
to  our  countrymen  in  Texas,  and  denounces  them  as  a  set 
of  perfidious  wretches,  whom  the  compassion  of  the  g(-n- 
erous  Mexicans  has  permitted  to  take  refuge  in  their 
country  ;  and  who,  like  the  serpent  in  the  fable,  uo 
sooner  warmed  themselves,  than  they  stung  their  bene 
factors.  This  is  a  good  joke.  By  what  title  does  Mex 
ico  lay  claim  to  all  the  territory  which  belonged  to  Spain 


HISTORY    OF   TEXAS.  87B 

in  North  America  ?  Each  province  or  state  of  New 
Spain  .  contended  separately  or  jointly,  just  as  it  hap 
pened,  for  their  independence,  as  we  did,  and  were  not 
united  under  a  general  government  representing  the 
whole  of  the  Spanish  possessions,  which  was  only  d.ne 
afterward  by  mutual  agreement  or  federation.  Let  it  be 
remembered  that  the  Spanish  authorities  were  first  ex 
pelled  from  Texas  by  the  American  settlers,  who,  from 
the  treachery  of  their  Mexican  associates,  were  unable 
to  retain  it ;  but  the  second  time  they  were  more  suc 
cessful.  They  certainly  had  as  good  a  right  to  the  soil 
thus  conquered  by  them,  as  the  inhabitants  of  other  pro 
vinces  who  succeeded  against  Spain.  The  Mexicans 
talk  of  the  ingratitude  of  the  Americans ;  the  truth  is, 
that  the  ingratitude  has  been  on  the  other  side.  What 
was  the  war  of  Texas,  in  1813,  when  the  revolutionary 
spark  was  almost  extinguished  in  Mexico  ?  What  was 
the  expedition  of  Mina,  and  his  three  hundred  American 
Spartans,  who  perished  heroically  in  the  very  heart  of 
Mexico,  in  the  vain  attempt  to  resuscitate  and  keep  alive 
the  spark  of  independence  which  has  at  this  time  kindled 
such  an  ungrateful  blaze  ?  If  a  just  estimate  could  be 
made  of  the  lives  and  the  treasures  contributed  by  Ame 
rican  enterprise  in  that  cause,  it  would  appear  incredi 
ble.  How  did  the  Mexicans  obtain  their  independence 
at  last  ?  Was  it  by  their  own  virtue  and  courage  ?  No, 
it  was  by  the  treachery  of  one  of  the  king's  generals, 
who  established  himself  by  successful  treason,  and  they 
have  been  inconstant  commotion  ever  since,  which  proves 
thev  are  unfit  to  govern  themselves,  much  less  a  free  and 


874  SANTA   ANNA. 

enlightened  people  at  a  distance  of  twelve  hundred  mile* 
from  them. 

The  Mexican  government,  by  its  colonization  laws 
invited  and  induced  the  Anglo-American  population  of 
Texas  to  colonize  its  wilderness,  under  the  pledged  faith 
of  a  written  constitution,  that  they  should  continue  to 
enjoy  that  constitutional  liberty  and  republican  govern 
ment  to  which  they  had  been  habituated  in  the  land  of 
their  birth,  the  United  States  of  America.  In  this  ex 
pectation  they  have  been  cruelly  disappointed,  as  the 
Mexican  nation  has  acquiesced  in  the  late  changes  made 
in  the  government  by  Santa  Anna,  who,  having  over 
turned  the  constitution  of  his  country,  now  offers  the  set 
tlers  the  cruel  alternative,  either  to  abandon  their  homes 
acquired  by  so  many  privations,  or  submit  to  the  most 
intolerable  of  all  tyranny,  the  combined  despotism  of  the 
sword  and  the  priesthood. 

Bat  Santa  Anna  charges  the  Americans  with  ingrati 
tude  !  This  is  something  like  Satan  reviling  sin.  I  have 
gathered  some  particulars  of  the  life  of  this  moral  per 
sonage  from  a  gentleman  at  present  in  the  Alamo,  and 
who  is  intimately  acquainted  with  him,  which  I  will  copy 
into  my  book  exactly  as  he  wrote  it. 

Santa  Anna  is  about  forty-two  years  of  age,  and  wa? 
born  in  the  city  of  Vera  Cruz.  His  father  was  a  Span 
iard,  of  old  Spain,  of  respectable  standing,  though  poor; 
his  mother  was  a  Mexican.  He  received  a  common  ed 
ucation,  and  at  the  age  of  thirteen  or  fourteen  was  taken 
into  the  military  family  of  the  then  Intendant  of  Vera 
Cruz,  General  Davila,  who  took  a  great  fancy  to  him. 
and  brought  him  up.  He  remained  with  General  Davila 


HIS   AMBITION.  875 

until  about  the  year  1820.  While  with  Davila  he  was 
made  a  major,  and  when  installed  he  took  the  honors 
very  coolly,  and  on  some  of  his  friends  congratulating 
him,  he  said,  "  If  you  were  to  make  me  a  god,  I  should 
desire  to  be  something  greater."  This  trait,  developed 
at  so  early  a  period  of  his  life,  indicated  the  existence  of 
that  vaulting  ambition  which  has  ever  since  characterized 
his  life. 

After  serving  the  Spanish  royal  cause  until  1821,  he 
left  Vera  Cruz,  turned  against  his  old  master  and  bene 
factor,  and  placed  himself  at  the  head  of  some  irregular 
troops  which  he  raised  on  the  sea-coast  near  Vera  Cruz, 
and  which  are  called  Jarochos  in  their  language,  and 
which  were  denominated  by  him  his  Cossacks,  as  they 
were  all  mounted  and  armed  with  spears.  With  this  rude 
cavalry  he  besieged  Vera  Cruz,  drove  Davila  into  the 
castle  of  San  Juan  d'Ulloa,  and  after  having  been  re 
pulsed  again  entered  at  a  subsequent  period,  and  got  en 
tire  possession  of  the  city,  expelling  therefrom  the  old 
Spanish  troops,  and  reducing  the  power  of  the  mother 
country  in  Mexico  to  the  walls  of  the  castle. 

Subsequent  to  this,  Davila  is  said  to  have  obtained  an 
interview  with  Santa  Anna,  and  told  him  he  was  destined 
to  act  a  prominent  part  in  the  history  of  his  country. 
"  And  now,"  says  he,  "  I  will  give  you  some  advice :  al 
ways  go  with  the  strongest  party."  He  always  acted 
up  to  this  motto  until  he  raised  the  grito,  (or  cry,)  in 
other  words,  took  up  the  cudgels  for  the  friars  and 
church.  He  then  overturned  the  federal  government, 
and  established  a  central  despotism,  of  which  the  priests 
and  the  military  were  the  two  privileged  orders.  Ills 


876  ANECDOTR 

life  has  been,  from  the  first,  of  the  most  romantic  kind 
constantly  in  revolutions,  constantly  victorious. 

His  manners  are  extremely  affable ;  he  is  full  of  anec 
dote  and  humor,  and  makes  himself  exceedingly  fascinat 
ing  and  agreeable  to  all  who  come  into  his  company ;  he 
is  about  five  feet  ten,  rather  spare,  has  a  moderately 
high  forehead,  with  black  hair,  short  black  whiskers, 
without  mustaches,  and  an  eye  large,  black,  and  ex 
pressive  of  a  lurking  devil  in  his  look ;  he  is  a  man  of 
genteel  and  dignified  deportment,  but  of  a  disposition 
perfectly  heartless.  He  married  a  Spanish  lady  of  pro 
perty,  a  native  of  Alvarado,  and  through  that  marriage 
obtained  the  first  part  of  his  estate,  called  Manga  de 
Clavo,  six  leagues  from  Vera  Cruz.  He  has  three  fine 
children,  yet  quite  young. 

The  following  striking  anecdote  of  Santa  Anna  illus 
trates  his  peculiar  quickness  and  management :  During 
the  revolution  of  1829,  while  he  was  shut  up  in  Oaxaca, 
and  surrounded  by  the  government  troops,  and  reduced 
to  the  utmost  straits  for  the  want  of  money  and  provi 
sions  ;  having  a  very  small  force,  there  had  been,  in 
consequence  of  the  siege  and  firing  every  day  through 
the  streets,  no  mass  for  several  weeks.  He  had  no 
money,  and  hit  upon  the  following  expedient  to  get  it: 
he  took  possession  of  one  of  the  convents,  got  hold  of  the 
wardrobe  of  the  friars,  dressed  his  officers  and  some  of 
his  soldiers  in  it,  and  early  in  the  morning  had  the  bells 
rung  for  the  mass.  The  people,  delighted  at  having 
again  an  opportunity  of  adoring  the  Supreme  Being, 
flocked  to  the  church  where  he  was ;  and  after  the  house 
was  pretty  well-filled,  his  friars  showed  theu  side-arms 


STORY   OF   THE   CONVENT.  377 

»nd  bayonets  from  beneath  the  cowls,  and  closed  the 
doors  upon  the  assembled  multitude. 

At  this  unexpected  denouement  there  was  a  tremen 
dous  shrieking,  when  one  of  his  officers  ascended  the 
pulpit,  and  told  the  people  that  he  wanted  ten  thousand 
do*  Jars,  and  must  have  it.  He  finally  succeeded  in  get- 
tiii.-$  about  thirty-six  hundred  dollars,  when  he  dismissed 
tin  congregation. 

A.S  a  sample  of  Santa  Anna's  pious  whims  we  relate 
tb**  following  ? 

(n  the  same  campaign  of  Oaxaca,  Santa  Anna  and  his 
officers  were  there  besieged  by  Rincon,  who  commanded 
the  government  troops.  Santa  Anna  was  in  a  convent 
surrounded  by  a  small  breastwork.  Some  of  the  officers 
one  night,  to  amuse  themselves,  took  the  wooden  saints 
out  of  the  church  and  placed  them  as  sentries,  dressed 
in  uniforms,  on  the  breastwork.  Rincon,  alarmed  on  the 
morning  at  this  apparent  boldness,  began  to  fire  away  at 
the  wooden  images,  supposing  them  to  be  flesh  and 
blood,  and  it  was  not  until  some  of  the  officers  who  were 
not  in  the  secret  had  implored  Santa  Anna  to  prevent 
this  desecration  that  the  firing  ceased. 

Many  similar  facts  are  related  of  him.  He  is,  in  fact, 
all  things  to  all  men  ;  and  yet,  after  his  treachery  to 
Davila,  he  has  the  impudence  to  talk  about  ingratitude. 
lie  never  was  out  of  Mexico.  If  I  only  live  to  tree  him, 
ar.d  take  him  prisoner,  I  shall  ask  for  no  more  glory  in 
this  life. 


CHAPTER  XXXV. 

ITiimblerijr  on  a  Spree — The  Mule  trait. — News  of  Santa  /.nctu- 
The  Ragged  Hunter — Unsuccessful  attack  on  Tampk.v- -f,v«4 
of  the  assailants — Approach  of  the  Mexicans  under  Santa  Anna— 
Siege  of  the  Alamo  commenced — Raising  the  Texan  fla^ — Colonel 
Travis  sends  to  Colonel  Fanning  for  reinforcements — Reinforce 
ments  arrive — Thimblerig  wounded — His  revenge  on  fhe  Mexi 
cans — Colonel  Howie — The  Bee  Hunter  cannonading — Provisions 
brought  in — General  Sesma's  movements — Sharp- shooting — De 
claration  of  Independence —  A  sortie  from  the  Alamo — End  of 
Colonel  Crockett's  MS. 

I  WRITE  this  on  the  nineteenth  of  Fell  u^ry,  1836,  at 
San  Antonio.  We  are  all  in  high  spirits.,  though  we  are 
rather  short  of  provisions,  for  men  who  hi*'ve  appetites  that 
could  digest  anything  but  oppression ;  but  no  matter, 
we  have  a  prospect  of  soon  getting  our  bellies  full  of 
fighting,  aud  that  is  victuals  and  drink  to  a  true  patriot 
any  day.  We  had  a  little  sort  of  convivial  party  last 
evening:  j.ist  about  a  dozen  of  us  3ft  to  work,  most  pa 
triotically,  co  see  whether  we  could  not  get  rid  of  that 
curse  of  th<-  land,  whiskey,  and  we  made  considerable  pro 
gress  ;  but  my  poor  friend,  Thimblerig,  got  sewed  up  just 
about  as  tight  as  the  eyelet-hole  in  a  lady's  corset,  and 
a  little  tighter  too,  I  reckon ;  for  when  he  went  to  bed 
he  called  for  a  bootjack,  which  was  brought  to  him,  and 

he  bent  down  on  his  bauds  and  knees,  and  very  gravelj 
(378) 


THE    MULE   TRAIN. 

pulled  off  his  hat  with  it,  for  the  darned  critter  was  so 
thoroughly  swiped  that  he  didn't  know  his  head  from  his 
heels.  But  this  wasn't  all  the*  folly  he  committed ;  he 
pulled  off  his  coat  and  laid  it  on  the  bed,  and  then  hung 
himself  over  the  back  of  a  chair ;  and  I  wish  I  may  be 
shot  if  he  didn't  go  to  sleep  in  that  position,  thinking 
every  thing  had  been  done  according  to  Gunter's  late 
scale.  Seeing  the  poor  fellow  completely  used  up,  J 
carried  him  to  bed,  though  he  did  belong  to  the  Tem- 
Derance  society ;  and  he  knew  nothing  about  what  had 
occurred  until  I  told  him  the  next  morning.  The  Bee 
hunter  didn't  join  us  in  this  blow-out.  Indeed,  he  will 
seldom  drink  more  than  just  enough  to  prevent  his  being 
called  a  total  abstinence  man.  But  then  he  is  the  most 
jovial  fellow  for  a  water  drinker  I  ever  did  see. 

This  morning  I  saw  a  caravan  of  about  fifty  mules 
passing  by  Bexar,  and  bound  for  Santa  Fe.  They  were 
loaded  with  different  articles  to  such  a  degree  that  it  was 
astonishing  how  they  could  travel  at  all,  and  they  were 
nearly  worn  out  by  their  labors.  They  were  without 
bridle  or  halter,  and  yet  proceeded  with  perfect  regular 
ity  in  a  single  line ;  and  the  owners  of  the  caravan  rode 
their  mustangs  with  their  enormous  spurs,  weighing  at 
least  a  pound  a  piece,  with  rowels  an  inch  and  a  half  in 
length,  and  lever  bits  of  the  harshest  description,  able  to 
break  the  jaws  of  their  animals  under  a  very  gentle 
pressure.  The  men  were  dressed  in  the  costume  of 
Mexicans.  Cobnel  Travis  sent  out  a  guard  to  see  that 
they  were  not  la  ien  with  munitions  of  war  for  the  enemy. 
I  went  out  with  the  party.  The  poor  mules  were  bend 
ing  under  a  burden  of  more  than  three  hundred  pounds. 


880  THE    MULE   TRAIN. 

witflout  including  the  panniers,  which  were  bou  \  so 
tight  as  almost  to  stop  the  breath  of  the  poor  ainmal. 
Each  of  the  sorrowful  line  came  up,  spontaneously,  in 
turn  to  have  his  girth  unbound  and  his  load  removed. 
They  seemed  scarcely  able  to  keep  upon  their  feet,  and 
as  they  successively  obtained  relief,  one  after  another 
heaved  a  long  deep  sigh,  which  it  was  painful  to  hear, 
because  it  proved  that  the  poor  brutes  had  been  worked 
beyond  their  strength.  What  a  world  of  misery  man 
inflicts  upon  the  rest  of  creation  in  his  brief  passage 
through  life  ! 

Finding  that  the  caravan  contained  nothing  intended 
for  the  enemy,  we  assisted  the  owners  to  replace  the 
heavy  burdens  on  the  backs  of  the  patient  but  dejected 
mules,  and  allowed  them  to  pursue  their  weary  and  lonely 
way.  For  full  two  hours  we  could  see  them  slowly  wind 
ing  along  the  narrow  path,  a  faint  line  that  ran  like  a 
thread  through  the  extended  prairie ;  and  finally  they 
were  whittled  down  to  the  little  end  of  nothing  in  the 
distance,  and  were  blotted  out  from  the  horizon. 

The  caravan  had  no  sooner  disappeared  than  one  of 
the  hunters,  who  had  been  absent  several  days,  came  in. 
He  was  one  of  those  gentleman  who  don't  pride  them 
selves  much  upon  their  costume,  and  reminded  me  of  a 
covey  who  came  into  a  tavern  in  New  York  when  I  was 
last  in  that  city.  He  was  dressed  in  five  jackets,  all  of 
which  failed  to  conceal  his  raggedness,  and  as  he  bolted 
in,  he  exclaimed, 

"  Worse  than  I  look,  by .  But  no  matter,  I've 

let  myself  for  fourteen  dollars  a  month,  and  find  my  own 
prog  and  lodging." 


NEWS    OF   SANTA    ANNA.  881 

"  To  do  what  ?"  demanded  the  barkeeper. 

"  To  stand  at  the  corner  for  a  paper-mill  sign — ;  cash 
for  rags' — that's  all.  I'm  about  to  enter  upon  the  sta 
tionary  business,  you  see."  He  tossed  off  his  grog,  and 
Lustled  out  to  begin  his  day's  work. 

But  to  return  to  the  hunter.  He  stated  that  he  had 
met  some  Indians  on  the  banks  of  the  Rio  Frio,  who  in 
formed  him  that  Santa  Anna,  with  a  large  force,  had 
already  crossed  the  Neuces,  and  might  be  expected  to 
arrive  before  San  Antonio  in  a  few  days.  We  immedi 
ately  set  about  preparing  to  give  him  a  warm  reception, 
for  we  are  all  well  aware,  if  our  little  band  is  overwhelmed 
by  numbers,  there  is  little  mercy  to  be  expected  from 
the  cowardly  Mexicans — it  is  war  to  the  knife. 

I  jocosely  asked  the  ragged  hunter,  who  was  a  smart, 
active  young  fellow,  of  the  steamboat  and  alligator  breed, 
whether  he  was  a  rhinoceros  or  a  hyena,  as  he  was  so 
eager  for  a  fight  with  the  invaders.  "  Neither  the  one, 
nor  t'other,  Colonel,"  says  he,  ubut  a  whole  menagerie 
in  myself.  I'm  shaggy  as  a  bear,  wolfish  about  the  head, 
active  as  a  cougar,  and  can  grin  like  a  hyena,  until  the 
bark  will  curl  off  a  gum  log.  There's  a  sprinkling  of  all 
sorts  in  me,  from  the  lion  down  to  the  skunk ;  and  be 
fore  the  war  is  over  you'll  pronounce  me  an  entire  zoo 
logical  institute,  or  I  miss  a  figure  in  my  calculation.  I 
promise  to  swallow  Santa  Anna  without  gagging,  if  you  will 
only  skewer  back  his  ears,  and  grease  l.is  head  a  little." 

He  told  me  that  he  was  one  in  the  fatal  expedition 
fitted  out  from  New  Orleans,  in  November  last,  to  join 
the  contemplated  attack  upon  Tampico  by  Mehia  and 
Feraza.  They  were,  in  all,  about  one  hundred  and  thirty 


MARCH    ON   TAMPICO. 

men,  who  embarked  as  emigrants  to  Texas ;  and  tha 
terms  agreed  upon  were,  that  it  was  optional  whether 
the  party  took  up  arms  in  defence  of  Texas,  or  not,  on 
landing.  They  were  at  full  liberty  to  act  as  they  pleased. 
Bu>  the  truth  was,  Tampico  was  their  destination,  and 
an  attack  on  that  city  the  covert  design,  which  was  net 
made  known  before  land  was  in  sight.  The  emigrants 
were  landed,  some  fifty,  who  doubtless  had  a  previous 
understanding,  joined  the  standard  of  General  Mehia, 
and  the  following  day  a  formidable  fort  surrendered  with 
out  an  attack. 

The  whole  party  were  now  tendered  arms  and  ammu 
nition,  which  even  those  who  had  been  decoyed  accepted; 
and,  the  line  being  formed,  they  commenced  the  attack 
upon  the  city.  The  hunter  continued :  "  On  the  15th 
of  November  our  little  army,  consisting  of  one  hundred 
and  fifty  men,  marched  into  Tampico,  garrisoned  by  two 
thousand  Mexicans,  who  were  drawn  up  in  battle  array 
in  the  public  square  of  the  city.  We  charged  them  at 
the  point  of  the  bayonet,  and  although  they  so  greatly 
outnumbered  us,  in  two  minutes  we  completely  routed 
them ;  and  they  fled,  taking  refuge  on  the  house  tops, 
from  which  they  poured  a  destructive  fire  upon  our  gal 
lant  little  band.  We  fought  them  until  daylight,  when  we 
found  our  number  decreased  to  fifty  or  sixty  broken  down 
ind  disheartened  men.  Without  ammunition,  and  de- 
eertcd  by  the  officers,  twenty-eight  immediately  surrend 
ered.  But  a  few  of  us  cut  our  way  through,  and  fortu 
nately  escaped  to  the  mouth  of  the  river,  where  we  got 
on  board  a  vessel  and  sailed  for  Texas. 

"  The  twenty-eight  prisoners  wished  to  be  considered 


APPROACH  OF  THE  MEXICANS. 

as  prisoners  of  war;  they  made  known  the  manner  m ' 
which  they  had  been  deceived,  but  they  were  tried  by  a 
court-martial  of  Mexican  soldiers,  and  condemned  to  be 
shot  on  the  14th  day  of  December,  1835,  which  sentence 
was  carried  into  execution." 

After  receiving  this  account  from  my  new  friend,  the 
old  pirate  arid  the  Indian  hunter  came  up,  and  they  went 
off  to  liquor  together,  and  I  went  to  see  a  wild  Mexican 
hog,  which  one  of  the  hunters  had  brought  in.  These 
animals  have  become  scarce,  which  circumstance  is  not 
to  be  deplored,  for  their  flesh  is  of  little  value ;  and  there 
will  still  be  hogs  enough  left  in  Mexico,  from  all  that  I 
can  learn,  even  though  these  should  be  extirpated. 

February  22.  The  Mexicans,  about  sixteen  hundred 
strong,  with  their  President  Santa  Anna  at  their  head, 
aided  by  Generals  Almonte,  Cos,  Sesma,  and  Castrillon, 
are  within  two  leagues  of  Bexar.  General  Cos,  it  seems, 
has  already  forgot  his  parole  of  honor,  and  is  come  back 
to  retrieve  the  credit  he  lost  in  this  place  in  December 
last.  If  he  is  captured  a  second  time,  I  don't  think  he 
can  have  the  impudence  to  ask  to  go  at  large  again  with 
out  giving  better  bail  than  on  the  former  occasion. 
Some  of  the  scouts  came  in,  and  bring  reports  that  Santa 
Anna  has  been  endeavoring  to  excite  the  Indians  to  hos 
tilities  against  the  Texians,  but  so  far  without  effect. 
The  Cumanches.  in  particular,  entertain  such  hatred  for 
the  Mexicans,  and  at  the  same  time  hold  them  in  such 
contempt,  that  they  would  rather  turn  their  tomahawks 
against  them,  and  drive  them  from  the  land,  than  lend  a 
helping  hand.  We  are  up  and  doing,  and  as  lively  as 
Dutch  cheese  in  the  dog-days.  The  two  hunters  that  1 


884  RAISING  THE   FLAG. 

have  already  introduced  to  the  reader  left  the  town  this 
afternoon,  for  the  purpose  of  reconnoitring. 

February  23.  Early  this  morning  the  enemy  came  in 
eight,  marching  in  regular  order,  and  displaying  their 
strength  to  the  greatest  advantage,  in  order  to  strike  us 
with  tei  ror.  But  that  was  no  go  ;  they'll  find  that  they 
feave  to  do  with  men  who  will  never  lay  down  their  arms 
as  long  as  they  can  stand  on  their  legs.  We  held  a 
short  council  of  war,  and,  finding  that  we  should  he 
completely  surrounded,  and  overwhelmed  by  numbers, 
if  we  remained  in  the  town,  we  concluded  to  withdraw 
to  the  fortress  of  Alamo,  and  defend  it  to  the  last  ex 
tremity.  We  accordingly  filed  off,  in  good  order,  having 
some  days  before  placed  all  the  surplus  provisions,  arms, 
and  ammunition  in  the  fortress.  We  have  had  a  large 
national  flag  made ;  it  is  composed  of  thirteen  stripes, 
red  and  white,  alternately,  on  a  blue  ground,  with  a 
large  white  star,  of  five  points,  in  the  centre,  and  be 
tween  the  points  the  letters  TEXAS.  As  soon  as  all  our 
attle  band,  about  one  hundred  and  fifty  in  number,  had 
entered  and  secured  the  fortress  in  the  best  possible 
manner,  we  set  about  raising  our  flag  on  the  battlements  ; 
on  which  occasion  there  was  no  one  more  active  than  my 
young  friend,  the  Bee  hunter.  He  had  been  all  along 
sprightly,  cheerful,  and  spirited,  but  now,  notwith 
standing  the  control  that  he-  usually  maintained  over 
oimself,  it  was  with  difficulty  that  he  kept  his  enthusiasm 
within  bounds.  As  soon  as  we  commenced  raising  the 
flag  he  burst  forth,  in  a  clear,  full  tone  of  voice,  that 
made  the  blood  tingle  in  the  veins  of  all  who  heard 
him: — 


REINFORCEMENTS   SENT   FOR.  885 

*  Up  with  your  banner,  Freedom, 

Thy  champions  cling  to  thee  j 
They'll  follow  where'er  you  lead  'em, 

To  death,  or  victory  ; — 
Up  with  your  banner,  Freedom. 

Tyrants  and  slaves  are  rushing 

To  tread  thee  in  the  dust ; 
Their  blood  will  soon  be  gushing, 

And  stain  our  knives  with  rust  ;— 
But  not  thy  banner  Freedom. 

While  stars  and  stripes  are  flying, 

Our  blood  we'll  freely  shed  ; 
No  groan  will  'scape  the  dying, 

Seeing  thee  o'er  his  head  ; — 
Up  with  your  banner,  Freedom." 

This  song  was  followed  by  three  cheers  from  all  within 
the  fortress,  and  the  drums  and  trumpets  commenced 
playing.  The  enemy  marched  into  Bexar,  and  took 
possession  of  the  town,  a  blood-red  flag  flying  at  their 
head,  to  indicate  that  we  need  not  expect  quarters  if  we 
should  fall  into  their  clutches.  In  the  afternoon  a  mes 
senger  was  sent  from  the  enemy  to  Colonel  Travis,  de 
manding  an  unconditional  and  absolute  surrender  of  the 
garrison,  threatening  to  put  every  man  to  the  sword  in 
case  of  refusal.  The  only  answer  he  received  was  a 
cannon  shot,  so  the  messenger  left  us  with  a  flea  in  his 
ear,  and  the  Mexicans  commenced  firing  grenades  at  us, 
Viit  without  doing  any  mischief.  At  night  Colonel 
Travis  sent  an  express  to  Colonel  Fanning,  at  C'liad, 
about  three  or  four  days'  march  from  this  place,  to  lot 
him  know  that  we  are  besieged.  The  old  pirate  volun- 
25 


THIMBLERIG'S  FIGHTING. 

teered  to  go  on  this  expedition,  and  accordingly  left  the 
fort  after  nightfall. 

February  '2A..  Very  early  this  morning  the  enemy 
commenced  a  new  battery  on  the  banks  of  the  river, 
about  three  hundred  and  fifty  yards  from  the  fort,  and 
by  afternoon  they  amused  themselves  by  firing  at  us  from 
that  quarter.  Our  Indian  scout  came  in  this  evening, 
and  with  him  a  reinforcement  of  thirty  men  from  Gon- 
zales,  who  are  just  in  the  nick  of  time  to  reap  a  harvest 
of  glory ;  but  there  is  some  prospect  of  sweating  blood 
before  we  gather  it  in.  An  accident  happened  to  my 
friend  Thimblerig  this  afternoon.  He  was  intent  on  his 
eternal  game  of  thimbles,  in  a  somewhat  exposed  posi 
tion,  while  the  enemy  were  bombarding  us  from  the  new 
redoubt.  A  three-ounce  ball  glanced  from  the  parapet 
and  struck  him  on  the  breast,  inflicting  a  painful,  but 
not  dangerous  wound.  I  extracted  the  ball,  which  was 
of  lead,  and  recommended  to  him  to  drill  a  hole  through 
it,  and  carry  it  for  a  watch  seal.  "No,"  he  replied, 
with  energy,  "may  I  be  shot  six  times  if  I  do:  that 
would  be  making  a  bauble  for  an  idle  boast.  No, 
Colonel,  lead  is  getting  scarce,  and  I'll  lend  it  out  at 
compound  interest.  Curse  the  thimbles  !"  he  muttered, 
and  went  his  way,  and  I  saw  no  more  of  him  that 
evening. 

^February  25.  The  firing  commenced  early  this  morn 
ing,  but  the  Mexicans  are  poor  engineers,  for  we  haven't 
lost  a  single  man,  and  our  outworks  have  sustained  no 
injury.  Our  sharpshooters  have  brought  down  a  consi 
derable  number  of  stragglers  at  a  long  shot.  I  got  up 
before  the  peep  of  day,  hearing  an  occasicrgl  discharge 


COLONEL   BOWIE.  881 

of  a  rifle  just  over  the  place  where  1  was  sleeping,  and 
I  was  somewhat  amazed  to  see  Thimblerig  mounted 
alone  on  the  battlement,  no  one  being  on  duty  at  the 
time  but  the  sentries.  "What  are  you  doing  there?" 
says  I.  "  Paying  my  debts,"  says  he,  "  interest  and 
all."  "And  how  do  you  make  out?"  says  I.  "I've 
nearly  got  through,"  says  he  ;  "  stop  a  moment,  Colonel, 
and  I'll  close  the  account."  He  clapped  his  rifle  to  his 
shoulder,  and  blazed  away,  then  jumped  down  from  his 
perch,  and  said,  "  That  account's  settled ;  them  chaps 
will  let  me  play  out  my  game  in  quiet  next  time."  1 
looked  over  the  wall,  and  saw  four  Mexicans  lying  dead 
on  the  plain.  I  asked  him  to  explain  what  he  meant 
by  paying  his  debts,  and  he  told  me  that  he  had  run  the 
grape  shot  into  four  rifle  balls,  and  that  he  had  taken 
an  early  stand  to  have  a  chance  of  picking  off  strag 
glers.  "Now,  Colonel,  let's  go  take  our  bitters,"  said 
he  ; — and  so  we  did.  The  enemy  have  been  busy  during 
the  night,  and  have  thrown  up  two  batteries  on  the  op 
posite  side  of  the  river.  The  battalion  of  Matamoras 
is  posted  there,  and  cavalry  occupy  the  hills  to  the  east 
and  on  the  road  to  Gonzales.  They  are  determined  to 
surround  us,  and  cut  us  off  from  reinforcement,  or  the 
possibility  of  escape  by  a  sortie.  Well,  there's  one 
thing  they  cannot  prevent;  we'll  still  go  ahead,  an,l  sell 
rur  lives  at  a  high  price. 

February  26.  Colonel  Bowie  has  been  taken  sick 
from  over-exertion  and  exposure.  He  did  not  leave  his 
bed  to-day  until  twelve  o'clock.  He  is  worth  a  dozen 
common  men  in  a  situation  like  ours.  The  Bee  hunter 
keeps  the  whole  garrison  in  good  heart  with  his  songs 


888  DEFENCE    OF   THE    ALAMO. 

and  his  jests,  and  his  daring  and  determined  spirit.  He 
is  about  the  quickest  on  the  trigger,  and  the  best  rifle 
Bhot  we  have  in  the  fort.  I  have  already  seen  him  bring 
down  eleven  of  the  enemy,  and  at  such  a  distance  that 
we  all  thought  it  would  be  a  waste  of  ammunition  to 
attempt  it.  His  gun  is  first  rate,  quite  equal  to  my 
Betsey,  though  she  has  not  quite  as  many  trinkets  about 
her.  This  day  a  small  party  sallied  out  of  the  fort  for 
wood  and  water,  and  had  a  slight  skirmish  with  three 
times  their  number  from  the  division  under  General 
Sesma.  The  Bee  hunter  headed  them,  and  beat  the 
enemy  off,  after  killing  three.  On  opening  his  Bible  at 
night,  of  which  he  always  reads  a  portion  before  going 
to  rest,  he  found  a  musket  ball  in  the  middle  of  it. 
u  See  here,  Colonel,"  said  he,  "  how  they  have  treated 
the  valued  present  of  my  dear  little  Kate  of  Nacog- 
doches."  "It  has  saved  your  life,"  said  I.  "  True," 
replied  he,  more  seriously  than  usual,  "  and  I  am  not 
the  first  sinner  whose  life  has  been  saved  by  this  bock." 
He  prepared  for  bed,  and  before  retiring  he  prayed,  an! 
returned  thanks  for  his  providential  escape ;  and  I  heard 
the  name  of  Catherine  mingled  in  his  prayer. 

February  27.  The  cannonading  began  early  this 
morning,  and  ten  bombs  were  thrown  into  the  fcrt,  but 
fortunately  exploded  without  doing  any  mischief.  So 
far  it  has  been  a  sort  of  tempest  in  a  tea-pot,  not  unlike 
a  pitched  battle  in  the  Hall  of  Congress,  where  the  par 
ties  array  their  forces,  make  fearful  demonstrations  on 
both  sides,  then  fire  away  with  loud-sounding  speeches, 
which  contain  about  as  much  meaning  as  the  report  of  a 
aowitzer  charged  with  a  blank  cartridge.  Provisions  are 


RETURN   OF   SCOUTS.  389 

becoming  scarce,  and  the  enemy  are  endeavoring  tc  cut 
off  our  water.  If  they  attempt  to  stop  our  grog  in  that 
manner,  let  them  look  out,  for  we  shall  become 'too 
wrathy  for  our  shirts  to  hold  us.  We  are  not  prepared 
to  submit  to  an  excise  of  that  nature,  and  they'll  find  it 
out.  This  discovery  has  created  considerable  excitement 
in  the  fort. 

February  28.  Last  night  our  hunters  brought  in 
some  corn,  and  had  a  brush  with  a  scout  from  the  enemy 
beyond  gun-shot  of  the  fort.  They  put  the  scout  to 
flight,  and  got  in  without  injury.  They  bring  accounts 
that  the  settlers  are  flying  in  all  quarters,  in  dismay, 
leaving  their  possessions  to  the  mercy  of  the  ruthless  in 
vader,  who  is  literally  engaged  in  a  war  of  extermina 
tion  more  brutal  than  the  untutored  savage  of  the  desert 
could  be  guilty  of.  Slaughter  is  indiscriminate,  sparing 
neither  sex,  age,  nor  condition.  Buildings  have  been 
burnt  down,  farms  laid  waste,  and  Santa  Anna  appears 
determined  to  verify  his  threat,  and  convert  the  bloom 
ing  paradise  into  a  howling  wilderness.  For  just  one 
fair  crack  at  that  rascal,  even  at  a  hundred  yards'  dis 
tance,  I  would  bargain  to  break  my  Betsey,  and  never 
pull  trigger  again.  My  name's  not  Crockett  if  I  wouldn't 
get  glory  enough  to  appease  my  stomach  for  the  re 
mainder  of  my  life.  The  scouts  report  that  a  settler  by 
the  name  of  Johnson,  flying  with  his  wife  and  three  lit 
tle  children,  when  they  reached  the  Colorado,  loft  his 
family  on  the  shore,  and  waded  into  the  river  to  see  whe 
ther  it  would  be  safe  to  ford  with  his  wagon.  When 
about  the  middle  of  the  river  he  was  seized  by  an  alliga 
tor,  and  after  a  struggle,  was  dragged  under  the  water, 


890  GENERAL   SESMA. 

and  perished.  The  helpless  woman  and  her  babes  were 
discovered,  gazing  in  agony  on  the  spot,  by  other  fugi 
tives,  who  happily  passed  that  way,  and  relieved  them. 
Those  who  fight  the  battles  experience  but  a  small  part 
of  the  privation,  suffering,  and  anguish  that  follow  in  the 
train  of  ruthless  war.  The  cannonading  continued  at  in 
tervals  throughout  the  day,  and  all  hands  were  kept  up 
to  their  work.  The  enemy,  somewhat  emboldened, 
draws  nigher  to  the  fort.  So  much  the  better.  There 
was  a  move  in  General  Sesma's  division  toward  eve 
ning. 

February  29.  Before  daybreak,  we  saw  General  Ses- 
ma  leave  his  camp  with  a  large  body  of  cavalry  and  in 
fantry,  and  move  off  in  the  direction  of  Goliad.  We  think 
that  he  must  have  received  news  of  Colonel  Fanning's 
coming  to  our  relief.  We  are  all  in  nigh  spirits  at  the 
prospeci  of  being  able  to  give  the  rascals  a  fair  shake  on 
the  plain.  This  business  of  being  shut  up  makes  a  man. 
wolfish.  I  had  a  little  sport  this  morning  before  break 
fast.  The  enemy  had  planted  a  piece  of  ordnance  with 
in  gun-shot  of  the  fort  during  the  night,  and  the  first 
thing  in  the  morning  they  commenced  a  brisk  cannon 
ade,  point  blank,  against  the  spot  where  I  was  snoring. 
I  turned  out  pretty  smart  and  mounted  the  rampart. 
The  gun  was  charged  again,  a  fellow  stepped  forth  to 
touch  her  off,  but  before  he  could  apply  the  match,  I  let 
him  have  it,  and  he  keeled  over.  A  second  stepped  up, 
snatched  the  match  from  the  hand  of  the  dying  man,  but 
Thimblerig,  who  had  followed  me,  handed  me  his  rifle, 
and  the  next  instant  the  Mexican  was  stretched  on  the 
earth  beside  the  first.  A  third  came  up  to  the  cannon, 


SHAKP   SHOOTING.  891 

mj  companion  handed  me  another  gun,  and  I  fixed  Inn: 
off  in  like  marner.  A  fourth,  then  a  fifth,  seized  the 
match,  who  both  met  with  the  same  fate,  and  then  the 
whole  party  gave  it  up  as  a  bad  job,  and  hurried  oft'  to 
the  camp,  leaving  the  cannon  ready  charged  where  they 
had  planted  it.  I  came  down,  took  my  bitters,  and 
went  to  breakfast.  Thimblerig  told  me  that  the  place 
from  which  I  had  been  firing  was  one  of  the  snuggest 
stands  in  the  whole  fort,  for  he  never  failed  picking  off 
two  or  three  stragglers  before  breakfast,  when  perched  up 
there. 

And  I  recollect,  now,  having  seen  him  there,  ever 
since  he  was  wounded,  the  first  thing  in  the  morning, 
and  the  last  at  night,  and  at  times,  thoughtlessly  playing 
at  his  eternal  game. 

March  1.  The  enemy's  forces  have  been  increasing 
in  numbers  daily,  notwithstanding  they  have  already  lost 
about  three  hundred  men  in  the  several  assaults  they  have 
made  upon  us.  I  neglected  to  mention  in  the  proper 
place,  that  when  the  enemy  came  in  sight  we  had  but 
three  bushels  of  corn  in  the  garrison,  but  have  since 
found  eighty  bushels  in  a  deserted  house.  Colonel 
Bcwie's  illness  still  continues,  but  he  manages  to  crawl 
from  Lis  bed  eveiy  day,  that  his  comrades  may  see  him. 
His  presence  alone  is  a  tower  of  strength.  The  enemy 
becomes  more  daring  as  his  numbers  increase. 

March  2.  This  day  the  delegates  meet  in  general 
convention  at  the  town  of  Washington,  to  frame  our  De 
claration  of  Independence.  That  the  sacred  instrument 
may  never  be  trampled  on  by  the  children  of  those  who 
have  freely  shed  their  blood  to  establish  it,  is  the  sincere 


892       DECLARATION  OF  INDEPENDENCE. 

wish  of  David  Crockett.  Universal  independence  is  an  al 
mighty  idea,  far  too  extensive  for  some  brains  to  com 
prehend.  It  is  a  beautiful  seed  that  germinates  rapidly, 
and  brings  forth  a  large  and  vigorous  tree,  but  like  the 
deadly  Upas,  we  sometimes  find  the  smaller  plants  wither 
and  die  in  its  shades.  Its  blooming  branches  spread  far 
and  wide,  offering  a  perch  of  safety  to  all  alike,  but  even 
among  its  protecting  branches  we  find  the  eagle,  the  kite, 
and  the  owl  preying  upon  the  helpless  dove  and  sparrow. 
Beneath  its  shades  myriads  congregate  in  goodly  fellow 
ship  ;  but  the  lamb  and  the  fawn  find  but  frail  security 
from  the  lion  and  the  jackal,  though  the  tree  of  indepen 
dence  waves  over  them.  Some  imagine  independence  to 
be  a  natural  charter,  to  exercise  without  restraint,  and 
to  their  fullest  extent,  all  the  energies,  both  physical  and 
mental,  with  which  they  have  been  endowed ;  and  for 
their  individual  aggrandizement  alone,  without  regard  to 
the  rights  of  others,  provided  they  extend  to  all  the  same 
privilege  and  freedom  of  action.  Such  independence  is 
the  worst  of  tyranny. 

March  3.  We  have  given  over  all  hopes  of  receiving 
assistance  from  Goliad  or  Refugio.  Colonel  Travis  ha 
rangued  the  garrison,  and  concluded  by  exhorting  them, 
in  case  the  enemy  should  carry  the  fort,  to  fight  to  the 
last  gasp,  and  render  their  victory  even  more  serious  to 
them  than  to  us.  This  was  followed  by  three  cheers. 

March  4.  Shells  have  been  falling  into  the  fort  like 
hail  during  the  day,  but  without  effect.  About  dusk,  in 
the  evening,  we  observed  a  man  running  toward  the  fort, 
pursued  by  about  half  a  dozen  of  the  Mexican  cavalry. 
The  Bee  hunter  immediately  knew  him  to  be  the  old  pi- 


SORTIE   FROM  ALAMO. 

rate  who  had  gone  to  Goliad,  and,  calling  to  the  two 
hunters,  he  sallied  out  of  the  fort  to  the  relief  of  the  old 
man  who  was  hard  pressed.  I  followed  close  after.  Be 
fore  we  reached  the  spot  the  Mexicans  were  close  on  the 
heel  of  the  old  man,  who  stopped  suddenly,  turned  short 
upon  his  pursuers,  discharged  his  rifle  and  one  of  the 
enemy  fell  from  his  horse.  The  chase  was  renewed,  hut 
finding  that  he  would  be  overtaken  and  cut  to  pieces,  he 
now  turned  again,  and,  to  the  amazement  of  the  enemy, 
became  the  assailant  in  his  turn.  He  clubbed  his  gun, 
and  dashed  among  them  like  a  wounded  tiger,  and  they 
fled  like  sparrows.  By  this  time  we  reached  the  spot, 
and,  in  the  ardor  of  the  moment,  followed  some  distance 
before  we  saw  that  our  retreat  to  the  fort  was  cut  oif  by 
another  detachment  of  cavalry.  Nothing  was  to  be  done 
but  to  fight  our  way  through.  We  were  all  of  the  same 
mind.  u  Go  ahead  !"  cried  I,  and  they  shouted,  "  G:> 
ahead,  Colonel !"  We  dashed  among  them,  and  a  bloody 
conflict  ensued.  They  were  about  twenty  in  number, 
and  they  stood  their  ground.  After  the  fight  had  con 
tinued  about  five  minutes,  a  detachment  was  seen  issuing 
from  the  fort  to  our  relief,  and  the  Mexicans  scampered 
off,  leaving  eight  of  their  comrades  dead  upon  the  field. 
But  we  did  not  escape  unscathed,  for  both  the  pirate  aii<l 
the  Bee  hunter  were  mortally  wounded,  and  1  received  a 
sabre  cut  across  the  forehead.  The  old  man  died,  \vith 
out  speaking,  as  soon  as  we  entered  the  fort.  We  bore 
my  young  friend  to  his  bed,  dressed  his  wounds,  and  I 
watched  beside  him.  He  lay,  without  complaint  or 
manifesting  pain,  until  about  midnight,  when  he  spoKe,  and 
I  asked  him  if  he  wanted  any  thing  "  Nothing,"  he  re- 


894       END   OF   COLONEL   CROCKETT'S   MANUSCRIPT. 

plied,  but  drew  a  sigh  that  seemed  to  rend  his  heart,  as 
he  added,  "  Poor  Kate  of  Nacogdoches !"  His  eyes 
were  filled  with  tears,  as  he  continued,  "  Her  words  \\ere 
prophetic,  Colonel ;"  and  then  he  sang  in  a  low  voice  that 
resembled  the  sweet  notes  of  his  own  devoted  Kate, 

*  But  toom  cam'  the  saddle,  all  bluidy  to  see, 
And  hame  cam'  the  steed,  but  hame  never  cam'  he." 

He  spoke  no  more,  and  a  few  minutes  after,  died.  Poor 
Kate,  who  will  tell  this  to  thee  !" 

March  5.  Pop,  pop,  pop  !  Bom,  bom,  bom  !  through 
out  the  day.  No  time  for  memorandums  now.  Go 
ahead  !  Liberty  and  independence  forever ! 

[Here  ends  Colonel  Crockett's  manuscript^ 


CHAPTER   XXXVI. 

Assault  on  the  Alamo  directed  by  Santa  Anna — Desperate  fighting 
— Six  Americans  survive — Crockett  one  of  the  number — Death  of 
Thimblerig— Castrillon  takes  the  prisoners  to  Santa  Anna,  who 
dir  :cta  the  massacre  of  the  whole — Death  of  Colonel  Crockett — 
0"  Colonel  Bowie — Of  Colonel  Travis — Loss  of  the  Mexicans  at 
the  Alamo — Battle  of  Goliad — Surrender  of  Colonel  Fanning — 
Massacre  of  the  American  Prisoners — Ravages  of  the  Mexicans  on 
their  march  to  San  Jacinto — General  Houston— Battle  of  San 
Jacinto — Total  defeat  of  the  Mexicans  and  capture  of  Santa  Anna 
— Death  of  Colonel  Fanning. 

THE  hand  is  cold  that  wrote  the  foregoing  pages,  and 
it  devolves  upon  another  to  record  the  subsequent  events. 
Before  daybreak,  on  the  6th  of  March,  the  Alamo  was 
assaulted  by  the  whole  force  of  the  Mexican  army,  com 
manded  by  Santa  Anna  in  person.  The  battle  was  desper 
ate  until  daylight,  when  only  six  men  belonging  to  the 
Texian  garrison  were  found  alive.  They  were  instantly 
surrounded,  and  ordered  by  General  Castrillon  to  sur 
render,  which  they  did,  under  a  promise  of  his  protection, 
finding  that  resistance  any  longer  would  be  madness. 
Colonel  Crockett  was  of  the  number.  He  stood  alone  in 
an  angle  of  the  fort,  the  barrel  of  his  shattered  rifle  in 
his  right  hand,  in  his  left  his  huge  Bowie  knife  dripping 
blood.  There  was  a  frightful  gash  across  his  forehead, 
while  around  him  there  was  a  complete  barrier  of  about 

(395) 


396       CAPTURE  OF  COLONEL  CROCKETT. 

twenty  Mexicans,  lying  pell  mell,  dead,  and  dying.  At 
his  feet  lay  the  dead  body  of  that  well  known  character, 
designated  in  the  Colonel's  narrative  by  the  assumed 
name  of  Thimblerig,  his  knife  driven  to  the  haft  in  the 
throat  of  a  Mexican,  and  his  left  hand  clenched  in  his 
hair.  Poor  fellow,  I  knew  him  well,  at  a  time  when  he 
was  possessed  of  many  virtues,  but  of  late  years  the  weeds 
had  choked  up  the  flowers ;  however,  Colonel  Crockett 
had  succeeded  in  awakening  in  his  bosom  a  sense  of 
better  things,  and  the  poor  fellow  was  grateful  to  the 
last,  and  stood  beside  his  friend  throughout  the  desperate 
havoc. 

General  Castrillon  was  brave  and  not  cruel,  and  dis 
posed  to  save  the  prisoners.  He  marched  them  up  to 
thaj  part  of  the  fort  where  stood  Santa  Anna  and 
his  murderous  crew.  The  steady  fearless  step  and  un 
daunted  tread  of  Colonel  Crockett,  on  this  occasion,  to 
gether  with  the  bold  demeanor  of  the  hardy  veteran, 
had  a  powerful  effect  on  all  present.  Nothing  daunted 
he  marched  up  boldly  in  fr?nt  of  Santa  Anna,  and  looked 
him  sternly  in  the  face,  while  Castrillon  addressed  "  his 
excellency," — "  Sir,  here  are  six  prisoners  I  have  taken 
alive  ;  how  shall  I  dispose  of  them  ?"  Santa  Anna  looked 
at  Castrillon  fiercely,  flew  into  a  violent  rage,  and  re 
plied,  "  Have  I  not  told  you  before  how  to  dispose  of 
them?  Why  do  you  bring  them  to  me?"  At  the 
Bhn»e  time  his  brave  officers  plunged  their  swords  into 
the  bosoms  of  their  defenceless  prisoners.  Colonel 
Crockett,  seeing  the  act  of  treachery,  instantly  sprang 
like  a  tiger  at  the  ruffian  chief,  but  before  he  could  reach 
hire  a  dozen  swords  were  sheathed  in  his  indomitable 


DEATH   OF  CROCKETT.  897 

heart ;  and  he  fell  and  died  without  a  groan,  a  frown  on 
his  brow,  and  a  smile  of  scorn  and  defiance  on  his  lips. 
Castrillon  rushed  from  the  scene,  apparently  horror- 
struck,  sought  his  quarters,  and  did  not  leave  them  for 
several  days,  and  hardly  spoke  to  Santa  Anna  after. 

The  conduct  of  Colonel  Bowie  was  characteristic  to 
the  last.  When  the  fort  was  carried  he  was  sick  in  bed. 
He  had  also  one  of  the  murderous  butcher  knives  which 
bears  his  name.  Lying  in  bed,  he  discharged  his  pistols 
and  gun,  and  with  each  discharge  brought  down  an 
enemy.  So  intimidated  were  the  Mexicans  by  this  act 
of  desperate  and  cool  bravery,  that  they  dared  not  ap 
proach  him,  but  shot  him  from  the  door ;  and  as  the 
cowards  approached  his  bed,  over  the  dead  bodies  of 
their  companions,  the  dying  Bowie,  nerving  himself  for  a 
last  blow,  plunged  his  knife  into  the  heart  of  his  nearest 
foe  at  the  same  instant  that  he  expired. 

The  gallant  Colonel  Travis  fought  as  if  determined  to 
verify  his  prediction,  that  he  would  make  a  victory  more 
serious  than  a  defeat  to  the  enemy.  He  fell  from  the 
rampart,  mortally  wounded,  into  the  fort ;  and  his  musket 
fell  forward  among  the  foe,  who  were  scaling  the  wall. 
After  a  few  minutes  he  recovered  sufficiently  to  sit  up, 
when  the  Mexican  officer  who  led  that  party  attempted 
to  cut  his  head  off  with  a  sabre.  The  dying  hero,  with  a 
death  grasp,  drew  his  sword  and  plunged  it  into  the 
body  of  his  antagonist,  and  both  together  sank  into  the 
arms  of  death.  General  Cos,  who  had  commanded  this 
fortress  \\hile  in  the  possession  of  the  Mexicans,  and 
from  \\iiom  it  was  captured,  on  entering  the  fort  after 
the  battle,  ordered  the  servant  of  Colonel  Travis  to  point 


898         LOSS   OF  THE   MEXICANS   AT   THE   ALAMO. 

on*:  the  body  of  his  master ;  he  did  so,  when  Cos  dren 
his  sword,  waved  it  triumphantly  over  the  corpse,  apd 
then  mangled  the  face  and  limbs  with  the  malignant 
feelings  of  a  Cumanche  savage.  One  woman,  Mrs. 
Dickinson,  and  a  negro  of  Colonel  Travis,  were  the  only 
persons  whose  lives  were  spared.  The  bodies  of  the  slain 
were  then  thrown  into  a  mass  in  the  centre  of  the  Alamo, 
and  barned.  The  loss  of  the  Mexicans  in  storming  the 
place  was  not  less  than  eight  hundred  killed  and  mor 
tally  wounded,  making  their  losses  since  the  first  assault 
more  than  fifteen  hundred.  This  immense  slaughter,  by 
so  small  a  number,  can  only  be  accounted  for  by  the  fact 
of  the  Texians  having  five  or  six  guns  to  each  man  in 
the  fort.  Immediately  after  the  capture  Santa  Anna 
cent  Mrs.  Dickinson  and  the  servant  to  General  Houston, 
accompanied  by  a  Mexican  with  a  flag,  offering  the 
Texians  peace  and  general  amnesty,  if  they  would  lay 
down  their  arms,  and  submit  to  his  government.  Gene 
ral  Houston's  reply  was,  "  True,  sir,  you  have  succeeded 
in  killing  some  of  our  brave  men,  but  the  Texians  are 
not  yet  conquered."  He  sent  him  a  copy  of  the  Declara 
tion  of  Independence  recently  agreed  on  at  New  Wash 
ington. 

After  the  capture  of  San  Antonio,  Santa  Anna  had 
made  a  feint  on  Gonzales,  where  General  Houston  was 
with  a  very  inferior  force,  which  induced  the  latter  to 
fall  back  on  the  Colorado,  under  the  belief  that  the 
whole  Mexican  army  was  marching  to  attack  him.  A 
similar  feint  was  also  made  by  the  Mexican  General  on 
Bastrop,  a  town  on  the  Colorado,  north-east  of  San  An 
ton  io  '  Gonzales  lies  east  of  that  place.  Having,  in 


BATTLE   OJ    GOLIAD.  899 

both  instances,  effected  his  object,  Santa  Anna  concen 
trated  his  forces,  and  inarched  directly  for  La  Bahia,  or 
Goliad,  which  is  situated  about  ninety  miles  south-east 
of  San  Antonio,  on  the  Colorado.  The  fort  at  Goliad  is 
of  great  strength,  and  was  defended  by  Colonel  Fanning 
with  a  small  force  of  volunteers.  About  the  middle  of 
March,  orders  were  received  from  General  Houston 
directing  the  blowing  up  and  evacuation  of  the  fort,  and 
that  Colonel  Fanning  should  concentrate  with  him  on 
the  Colorado.  On  the  18th  of  March,  the  Mexicans 
were  discovered,  in  considerable  force,  in  the  neighbour 
hood  of  Goliad,  and  through  the  day  there  was  some 
skirmishing  with  the  advance  parties.  On  the  19th  the 
fort  was  set  on  fire,  and  its  wooden  defences  destroyed ; 
but  the  wall  was  left  entire,  and  Colonel  Fanning  took 
up  his  line  of  march.  His  force,  at  that  time,  was  re 
duced  to  two  hundred  and  sixty,  rank  and  file.  With 
this  force  and  several  field  pieces  he  set  out  to  cross  an 
open  country,  and  endeavor  to  effect  a  junction  with 
General  Houston.  On  the  evening  of  the  first  day  of 
their  march,  the  enemy  made  their  appearance  in  the 
rear,  about  three  miles  distant.  Colonel  Fanning  halted, 
and  opened  his  artillery  on  them,  instead  of  hastening 
forward  to  avail  hiqaself  of  the  shelter  of  wood,  some  dis 
tance  ahead.  The  enemy  manifesting  a  disposition  to 
cut  him  off  from  the  woods,  he  again  put  his  forces  in 
motion,  but  it  was  now  too  late.  He  not  only  lost  the 
shelter  of  the  timber,  which  would  have  ensured  his 
safety  against  the  enemy's  horse,  but  the  assistance  of 
his  advanced  guard,  which  was  cut  off  from  him  by  this 
manoeuvre  of  the  enemy.  The  absence  of  the  advanced 


400  SURRENDER   OF   COLONEL   FANNING. 

gunrd  reduced  his  forces  to  two  hundred  and  thirty-three, 
rank  and  file,  to  which  the  enemy  opposed  five  hundred 
cavalry,  and  two  hundred  infantry.  The  action  com 
menced  about  five  o'clock,  and  continued  until  nearly 
dark.  The  enemy  was  repulsed  with  great  loss  in  every 
charge,  and  never  was  able  to  penetrate  nearer  to  Fan- 
ning's  force  than  sixty-five  or  one  hundred  yards ;  and 
finally  about  dark,  drew  off  his  forces  to  a  secure  distance, 
leaving  only  a  few  to  succor  the  wounded,  who  were  not 
molested.  Tanning's  loss  was  five  killed  and  twelve 
wounded,  two  mortally.  The  enemy  acknowledged  the 
loss  of  one  hundred  and  ninety-two  killed,  and  a  large 
number  wounded.  So  soon  as  the  Mexicans  withdrew, 
Fanning  commenced  throwing  up  intrenchments,  at  which 
his  men  were  employed  during  the  whole  night. 

About  sunrise  on  the  20th,  the  enemy  again  advanced 
on  Fanning,  and  fired  their  cannon  four  times  over  him ; 
a  large  reinforcement  of  Mexicans  was  plainly  to  be 
seen,  three  miles  distant.  At  this  moment  a  white  flag, 
attended  by  a  small  party,  was  seen  advancing  from  the 
enemy,  which  was  met  by  a  similar  one  from  Fanning, 
under  Major  Wallace.  '  The  enemy  demanded  the  sur 
render  of  Fanning  and  his  forces,  and  promised  in  the 
most  sacred  manner,  that  they  should  retain  all  their 
private  property — that  they  might  return,  by  the  first 
opportunity,  as  prisoners  of  war  to  the  United  States,  or 
remain  until  they  were  regularly  exchanged ;  and  that 
they  should  be  treated  in  the  most  humane  manner  while 
retained  in  confinement.  With  these  specious  promises 
he  was  induced  to  trust  to  the  honor  of  the  butchers  of 
fche  Alamo,  and  accept  of  the  terms  of  capitulation. 


MASSACRE  OF  THE   PRISONERS.  4Cl 

As  soon  as  the  necessary  arrangements  could  be  mad« 
the  prisoners  were  marched,  under  a  strong  guard,  to 
Goliad,  and  huddled  together,  officers  and  men,  into  a 
church  within  the  fort  at  Goliad.  The  enemy  having 
succeeded  in  capturing  other  small  parties,  the  number 
of  piisoners  amounted  to  four  hundred,  and  were  all 
crowded  together  in  the  church,  and  compelled  to  sit  or 
lie  constantly.  The  only  accommodation  afforded  was 
a  few  benches  for  the  officers.  They  were  retained  in 
this  situation  for  three  days,  and  during  this  period  re 
ceived  only  a  small  ration  of  raw  beef,  not  exceeding 
half  a  pound  each.  On  the  fourth  day  they  were 
marched  out  into  the  open  air,  and  limits  prescribed  them, 
over  which  they  were  not  to  pass.  For  four  days  longer 
they  were  kept  in  this  situation,  during  which  they  were 
allowed  only  two  rations  similar  to  the  first ;  and,  but 
for  the  pecan  nuts  purchased  from  the  Mexican  soldiers, 
and  a  small  quantity  of  jerked  beef  procured  in  the  same 
manner,  they  must  have  suffered  immensely.  On  the 
eighth  day  representations  were  made  to  the  prisoners, 
that  it  would  be  necessary  to  remove  them  out  of  the 
fort,  as  they  were  about  to  drive  in  beeves  to  slaughter, 
in  order  to  prepare  rations  for  their  removal  to  Mata- 
gorda,  where  they  were  to  take  shipping  for  New  Or 
leans.  They  were  accordingly  marched  out,  in  parties 
of  one  hundred  each,  and,  in  single  file,  were  led  along  a 
high  brush  fence ;  when,  at  the  distance  of  two  hundred 
yards,  they  were  ordered  to  face  about,  and  the  cocking 
of  the  guns  gave  the  first  intimation  of  the  fate  that 
awaited  them.  At  the  first  fire  nearly  all  fell  mortally 
wounded.  A  few  escaped  by  falling  at  the  flash,  and  «i 
26- 


402  RAVAGES  OF  THE  MEXICANS. 

soon  &s  the  fire  ceased,  they  leaped  up,  and  sprung  ove* 
the  fence,  and  succeeded  in  reaching  the  woods,  where 
they  eluded  their  pursuers.  The  Mexicans  prccee led 
to  despatch  with  their  bayonets  any  who  showed  si^na 
of  life  after  the  firing,  and  they  then  stripped  and  burnt 
the  bodies.  The  authorities  of  Texas  bestowed  solemn 
obsequies  upon  their  mutilated  and  blackened  limbs,  on 
the  4th  of  June,  after  their  murderers  had  sank  unto 
death  on  the  plains  of  San  Jacinto,  under  the  appalling 
words,  "  Remember  La  Bahia ! " 

But  this  succession  of  barbarities,  so  far  from  intimi 
dating,  served  to  rouse  the  energies  of  the  oppressed. 
The  vain-glorious  Spaniard,  elated  with  success,  without 
adverting  to  the  fact  that  he  had  never  been  victorious, 
without  having  at  least  from  five  to  ten  of  his  mercenaries 
opposed  to  one  of  his  foes,  now  ventured  to  cross  the 
Colorado,  believing  that  victory  was  perched  upon  his 
standard,  and  would  not  leave  it  until  Texas  should  be 
subdued. 

His  track  was  marked  by  death  and  desolation.  Fire, 
famine,  and  the  sword  were  in  his  train,  and  neither  sex 
nor  age  was  received  as  a  plea  for  mercy.  The  hoary 
head  of  the  grandsire,  the  flaxen  curls  of  the  babe,  and 
the  disheveled  tresses  of  the  affrighted  mother,  were 
alike  stained  with  gore.  Farm  houses  v/ere  consumed 
by  fire,  the  crops  destroyed  in  the  ground ;  and  the  set 
tlers  fled  in  dismay,  feeling  that  the  worst  of  scourges 
had  been  let  loose  upon  them.  The  plains  were  strewed 
with  thousands  of  the  unburied  slaughtered ;  ard  the  air 
•was  fetid  with  corruption  and  decay.  The  morcilesa 
tyrant  saw  all  this,  and  his  heart  expanded  with  joy,  as 


BATTLE  OP  SAN  JACINTO.          408 

he  rr.  -vcd  on,  like  Attila,  and  beheld  the  terror  and 
wretchedness  of  those  he  came  to  annihilate,  rather  than 
to  scourge  into  subjection.  But  his  was  a  temporary 
triumph.  He  crossed  the  Colorado  full  of  hope  of  carry 
ing  his  demoniac  intentions  into  execution,  but  shame, 
confusion  and  defeat  awaiting  his  coming. 

About  the  18th  of  April  the  tyrant  with  one  division 
of  his  troops,  marched  in  the  direction  of  Lynch's  ferry,- 
on  the  San  Jacinto,  burning  Harrisburg  as  he  passed 
down.  The  Texan  forces  under  General  Houston,  were 
ordered  to  be  in  readiness,  and  on  the  morning  of  the 
19th  they  took  up  their  line  of  march  in  pursuit  of  him, 
and  found  him  encamped  on  the  banks  of  the  San 
Jacinto.  About  nine  c 'clock  on  the  morning  of  the  21st 
the  Mexicans  were  reinforced  by  five  hundred  choice 
troops,  under  command  of  General  Cos,  increasing  their 
effective  force  to  upwards  of  fifteen  hundred  men,  while 
the  aggregate  force  of  the  Texians,  for  the  field,  num 
bered  seven  hundred  and  eighty-three.  General  Hous 
ton  ordered  the  bridge  on  the  only  road  communicating 
with  the  Brazos,  distant  from  the  encampment,  to  be 
destroyed,  thus  cutting  off  all  possibility  of  escape.  The 
Texian  army  were  ordered  to  parade  their  respective 
commands,  which  they  did  with  alacrity  and  spirit,  and 
were  anxious  for  the  conflict ;  the  disparity  in  numbers 
( nly  seemed  to  increase  their  enthusiasm  and  confidence. 
Houston,  having  the  enemy  thus  snugly  hemmed  in,  and 
his  little  army  drawn  up  in  order  of  battle,  addressed 
them,  in  person,  briefly,  and  concluded  by  saying,  "  Fel 
low  soldiers,  there  is  the  enemy  before  you ;  do  you  wish 
10  fight  ? "  "  We  do  !  "  was  the  universal  response 


404  CAPTURE   OP   SANTA   ANNA. 

"  Well,  then,"  he  continued,  "  remember  it  is  for  liberty 
or  death !  Remember  the  Alamo !  Remember  Golia.l ! " 
The  soldiers  shouted,  "  We  shall  remember  ! "  "  Then 
go  ahead ! "  From  General  Houston's  official  account 
it  appears  that  the  war-cry  was,  "Remember  the  Alamo.*' 
The  attack  was  furious,  and  lasted  about  eighteen 
minutes  from  the  time  of  close  action  until  the  Texians 
were  in  possession  of  the  enemy's  camp.  Our  riflemen, 
not  having  the  advantage  of-  bayonets,  used  their  pieces 
as  clubs,  breaking  many  of  them  at  the  breech.  The 
rout  commenced  at  half-past  four  o'clock,  and  continued 
until  twilight.  In  the  battle  our  loss  was  two  filled  and 
twenty-three  wounded,  six  of  whom  mortally.  The 
enemy's  loss  was  six  hundred  cr»d  thirty  killed,  and  seven 
hundred  and  thirty  were  taken  prisoners,  among  whom 
were  Generals  Santa  Anna  and  Cos,  who  were  capture! 
a  day  or  two  after  the  battle.  About  six  hundred  mus 
kets  and  three  hundred  sabres  were  collected  ;  several 
hundred  mules  and  horses  were  taken,  and  near  twelve 
hundred  dollars  in  specie. 

We  learn,  from  other  sources,  that  General  Cos,  when 
taken,  was  pale  and  greatly  agitated  ;  but  Almonte  dis 
played,  as  he  had,  during  the  fight,  great  coolness  and 
courage.  Santa  Anna  fled  among  the  earliest  who  re 
treated.  His  horse  bogged  down  in  the  prairie,  near  the 
Brassos  timber  ;  he  then  made  for  the  timber  on  foot. 
His  pursuers,  in  the  eagerness  of  the  cliase,  dashed  into 
the  same  bog,  and  continued  the  pursuit  on  foot,  follow 
ing  the  trail  of  the  fugitive,  which  was  very  plain  on  ac 
count  of  the  recent  rains,  until  they  reached  the  timber, 
where  it  was  lost.  The  pursuers  then  spread  themselves 


DEATH   OF   COLONEL  FANNING*.  405 

and  searched  the  woods  for  a  long  time  in  vain,  when  it 
occurred  to  Arnold  Hunter  that  the  chase  might,  like  a 
hard  pressed  bear,  have  taken  a  tree.  The  tree-tops 
were  then  examined,  when,  lo  !  the  game  was  discovered 
enugly  ensconced  in  the  forks  of  a  large  live  oak.  The 
captors  did  not  know  who  the  prisoner  was  until  they 
reached  the  camp,  when  the  Mexican  soldiers  exclaimed, 
"  El  General,  El  General  Santa  Anna  !"  When  con 
ducted  to  General  Houston,  he  offered  to  evacuate  Texas, 
and  acknowledge  its  independence,  on  condition  that  his 
life  and  liberty  should  be  granted  to  him,  and  a  safe  ts- 
cort  to  Mexico. 

The  enemy  passed  La  Bahia  and  Bexar,  blowing  ap 
the  Alamo  ;  spiking  and  throwing  the  cannon  in  the 
river,  in  his  retreat.  The  Cumanche  Indians  commenced 
depredating  in  the  rear  of  the  Mexican  army,  as  they 
advanced  from  Bexar  upon  the  settlements.  All  their 
horses  and  mules,  of  which  they  had  many,  as  well  as 
much  baggage,  were  taken  by  the  Indians.  At  every 
step  they  met  with  trouble,  and  are  hurrying  with  all 
possible  dispatch  toward  the  interior. 

The  fate  of  poor  Fanning,  who  was  not  killed  in  the 
indiscriminate  massacre  of  his  troops,  has  since  been  as 
certained.  He  was  condemned  to  be  shot.  Wheo  he 
found  that  was  determined  on,  and  was  ordered  out  for 
execution,  he  handed  his  watch  to  an  officer  as  compen 
sation  to  have  him  buried,  deliberately  tied  a  handker 
chief  over  his  eyes,  begged  them  not  to  shoot  him  in  the 
head,  bared  his  breast,  and  requested  to  be  shot  tnera. 
He  was  shot  in  the  head,  and  never  buried ! 


p 


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